Redwall Retold
by Wishbone the Lover of Books
Summary: This is a tale that I’m sure you have already heard however, this story has a few brand new faces. Some characters have never graced the pages of the original Redwall by Brian Jacques. Read and review, and I hope that you enjoy it.
1. Two Hamsters

This is a tale that I'm sure you have already heard; however, this story has a few brand new faces. Some characters have never graced the pages of the original _Redwall_ by Brian Jacques. You will soon become familiar with them. A short summary of this story would be this: peril, love, suspense, and an epic struggle between good and evil. And now, let the story begin!

Disclaimer: I do not own anything associated with the Hamtaro franchise, the Redwall series, or the character Davy Jones.

* * *

In the world of hamsters, a cool, brisk morning emerged. All seemed like the makings of another wonderful summer day…

As Hamtaro walked to the clubhouse, he thought to himself about all of the possibilities that the day held.

"Wow, there is so much that the hams and I can do today! I wonder what game we should play. We could play tag or hide and go seek, or duck, duck, goose, or even kick the can. Wait, those are all kiddy-type games, even though they are fun. We should play some type of sporty game. Hmmm … we have enough participants to play baseball, basketball, football, and plenty of other stuff. The only problem would be the equipment. Where could we find the stuff that we would need to play? I know! We could play soccer! We have plenty of soccer balls, and soccer nets would be simple to construct. Panda could even build permanent ones that we can always keep ready so that we could play any time. Oh, we could start a summer league! This is going to be so … uff!!"

Hamtaro became so immersed in his thoughts that he forgot to watch where he was going. He failed to notice the pretty white hamster wearing two blue ribbons accidentally walk into him.

"Ouch! That really hurt," said Hamtaro as he rubbed his head furiously, attempting to dull the pain.

"Owwie! That really did hurt," agreed Bijou. "Are you okay, Hamtaro? I am so sorry. I didn't mean to walk right into you."

"Oh, it's fine. I'm okay. Actually, I'm happy that you're here with me. I've got something to talk to you about."

"Really?" 'Perhaps Hamtaro has thought about his true feelings about me and wants to tell me,' hoped Bijou with all her heart.

"It's about our summer activities. I was thinking that maybe we could start a summer soccer league," said Hamtaro with uncontrollable excitement.

"Oh," Bijou replied with noticeable disappointment and sadness. Hamtaro was immediately taken aback and sad.

"What's wrong, Bijou?" he asked earnestly.

"Oh, nothing. I'm fine," Bijou replied, still discontented.

"Bijou, I know that something is wrong. What is it? Was it something I said?"

"No … well, actually yes. Oh, Hamtaro, you wouldn't understand."

"I don't care if I can't understand; I want to know what's bothering you. I don't want you to feel bad and downcast, especially on such a wonderful summer day. Do you dislike the summer soccer league idea? I could come up with something else."

"No, it's not that. Hamtaro, do you really want to know what's bothering me."

"Yes, more than anything else in the world right now."

"Wow," Bijou thought to herself, "maybe he does have feelings for me. Maybe, he really does hold true feelings for me underneath that friendly and lovable face. "Okay, Hamtaro, here it is. I …"

Bijou never got to finish her sentence, for at that moment, a ball of light appeared in front of them. As they drew near, the ball of light began to speak to them.

"Hello, Hamtaro and Bijou," the mysterious voice said.

"Bonjour," Bijou said.

"Hello," Hamtaro said.

"I understand that you both are on your way to the clubhouse. You had a fun-filled summer planned."

"Yep," Hamtaro replied. "You betcha."

"Well, I have something to tell you both. Another world called Mossflower exists outside of the one you know. Mossflower is a wonderful world and might prove an exciting experience for you two. However, it may be imperiled in the near future. A certain abbey exists there that was built by a great warrior, whose name is Martin, and an abbess, whose name is Germaine. This abbey, called Redwall, has long been a haven for peaceable and loving creatures. These creatures have dedicated themselves to giving hospitality to all that are in need. Many wicked creatures before have besieged Redwall, but always its inhabitants have found a way to repel evil and survive. Also, Martin has kept his sword, one said to have been made out of meteoric steel and forged at Salamandastron, in Redwall. Furthermore, this sword has been passed down from warrior to warrior in Redwall. Matthias is the current holder of this sword."

"Excuse me, mysterious light," Bijou interrupted. "Why are you telling us all of this?" 'And why did you have to prevent me from telling Hamtaro how I really feel about him,' she added in her thoughts.

"Well, I believe that these peaceful Redwall inhabitants will soon need your help. A great and dark evil is coming to their dear abbey. He is far greater than any foe that Redwall has previously faced. If he is not stopped, his darkness will first engulf Redwall. Then it will spread throughout all of Mossflower and continue until it swallows up their entire world. The evil of whom I speak is Davy Jones. He is the most fearsome sea rat that anyone will ever encounter. His horde of sea rats is as numerous as the sand on the seashore. Redwall will need all of the help that it can get if it is to survive."

"But, we are only two peaceful and harmless hamsters," Hamtaro chimed. "How in the world will we be able to help Redwall and its inhabitants?"

"Trust me," the mysterious light assured them, "you will not be able to turn the opportunity to help another creature in need down. Besides, you did the same thing once before," the voice said as the light transformed into a female hamster with wings and a love wand. Her fur was as white as snow, and her voice was as sweet as the coolest water on a hot summer day. Hamtaro and Bijou instantly recognized her.

"Harmony!" Hamtaro and Bijou cried in unison. "We're so happy to see you!" Both of them gave Harmony a great hug.

"It has been such a long time since we have seen each other."

"Yes, I know," said Harmony. "Still, the Redwall matter is very important. Will you both go to Redwall's aid?"

"Without a doubt," Hamtaro said bravely. "Unfortunately, we don't have anything to help Redwall out with, except the information that you just gave us."

"Even that won't really help that much because I'm sure the Redwallers won't have a clue as to who Davy Jones is," Bijou added.

"Ah, not to worry," Harmony calmly stated. "I have something for the both of you." Drawing light from her love wand, Harmony fashioned a sword and a lance. Both were magnificent weapons.

"Here, I want you two to have these," she said while handing Hamtaro and Bijou the weapons. "Hamtaro, I made the sword for you. I know that you don't have any swordplay abilities at the present, but the blade will help you to figure out sword fighting. I call this sword the Awakening. It has the power to evoke your latent sword fighting skills in order to help out those in need. It is a truly marvelous blade, and with it, you will accomplish great feats."

Hamtaro stared at the Awakening in awe. He could not believe what was happening. He had become a warrior, and although it felt strange, when he held the sword, he felt as if he had always been that warrior.

"Thank you, Harmony," was Hamtaro's reply. "I swear that with Awakening, I will defend the weak and protect the innocent." With this, Hamtaro raised his sword in a warrior's salute.

"Hamtaro, I believe you wholeheartedly," Harmony said. "You will also need this," Harmony said as she handed him a sheath. This, Hamtaro took and swung across his right shoulder in the fashion that Martin the Warrior had held his sword. Then, Hamtaro sheathed his sword and stood contemplating an encounter with Davy Jones.

"To you, Bijou, I give this lance," Harmony continued as she handed Bijou her weapon. "It is also a splendid weapon. It's very effective against swords and other short weapons; however, it is extremely weak when pitted against heavy weapons, such as axes. Swords beat axes. This is known as the Warrior's Triangle. Sword beats axe, axe beats lance, and lance beats sword. In this way, you two are perfectly balanced against any foe that you face. But, in relevance to your lance, I call it Goldheart. You, Bijou, truly have a heart of gold. Goldheart uses your heart as a power source. When you love the most, Goldheart attains its highest power. You, like Hamtaro, also have a latent fighting ability inside of you; however, it is not as strong in you as it is in Hamtaro. Don't be dismayed though. The advantages and disadvantages of each weapon and each of you evenly weigh out."

Bijou stared at her weapon in disbelief. Then a fiery light lit in her eyes. "Harmony, I am ready fight against any enemy for the sake of Redwall. They are fellow creatures that live peaceably as we hamsters do. Therefore, we are kin and share a kindred spirit."

Harmony examined the two hamsters. "I knew I chose the right hamsters for the job."

"Um, Harmony?" Hamtaro piped up. "Why can't the rest of the ham ham gang come with us?"

"I don't have enough power to send all of you to Redwall," Harmony replied. "Besides, there is a special reward at the end of this ordeal for the two of you only, if the both of you and Redwall and all of Mossflower survive. Trust me; it is an unbelievable gift that only you two can share."

Hamtaro stared at the ground concentrating hard trying to figure out what the reward was. Bijou pondered also and hoped with all her might that it might be love.

'Oh, how I wish that it were love,' Bijou thought to herself. 'I just want Hamtaro to realize how much I like him. He's probably too immature to understand though. I bet he couldn't grasp the concept of liking another hamster. Oh, Hamtaro. I like you so much. Why can't you understand?'

Harmony uncannily understood Bijou's predicament and called her over, while Hamtaro continued to stare at the ground and think about the reward.

"Bijou, you shouldn't underestimate Hamtaro so much," Harmony chided, "especially when it comes to love. I am truly convinced that there is much more to him than meets the eye. He is an amazing hamster. I have never come across anyone like him before."

"Harmony, I understand your concern," Bijou said, "but I think that you have it all wrong. Hamtaro is a great hamster, but he is completely naïve when it comes to love. Whenever I utter the slightest idea about love, he is innocently ignorant. I believe that he hasn't learned about it at all yet."

Harmony looked at Bijou, turned her head to Hamtaro, and returned her gaze back to Bijou. Then she just smiled and said nothing more.

Hamtaro, on the other hand, had stopped thinking about the reward and started thinking about how much he liked Bijou.

"What am I going to do?" Hamtaro thought to himself. "I am too afraid to tell her how I feel. That's why I have resorted to feigning ignorance. Also, I like Bijou a lot, but I still want to be her friend too. She's my best friend. Is there any way that I could like her and still be best friends with her? Is that possible? I don't know about having a girl ham. As a matter of fact, I thought that it would be best to wait to have a girl ham until right before I got married, and that is not going to happen for quite a while. All of this thinking is making my head hurt. I had better stop thinking about these things for now. If we are both going to be in grave danger, I have to be ready for anything. Thoughts like these could hinder me. I'll just put the protection of Bijou in the forefront of my mind right now."

"Well," Harmony inquired, "are you both ready to go?"

"Do we at least get to say goodbye to our friends?" asked Hamtaro.

"I forbid it, not because it is a bad thing, but because time is of the essence."

"We understand," said Bijou. "What we don't understand is how we are supposed to get to Redwall."

"I'll take care of that," Harmony responded.

With that, Harmony took her love wand and created a large ball of light, big enough for both Hamtaro and Bijou to fit in comfortably.

"There; it is all finished. All you two have to do is jump into the light. Once you do, you will find yourself in Mossflower Wood, which is close to Redwall. As soon as you land, take note of where the sun is and watch its movement. Remember, the sun rises in the east and sets in the west. Redwall Abbey will be directly east of where you are. If you get lost, try to find a road to the south of you. This road will lead you right to the Redwall. Once you're on the road, you can't miss Redwall. It is a humungous edifice made of red sandstone. The Redwallers will see you from far off and regard you with curiosity and caution, but treat them as you would treat any of your friends. You won't have any trouble. So are you ready to go?"

Hamtaro and Bijou looked at each other with determination in each other's face, then looked at Harmony and gave her affirming nods.

"Very well. Step into the light, and your adventure will begin. Take good care of each other. Oh, and before I forget, always remember this: true love never fails. Even the darkest of darkness can not prevail against it."

Hamtaro and Bijou regarded this thought carefully then jumped into the ball of light.

* * *

Well, what do you think? I'm unsure of whether or not I should continue this story, so please review. Be honest too, but try not to be brutally honest if you hate this story. Thanks for reading (or at least looking). 


	2. In a Far Away Place

Here is chapter two of Redwall Retold. I'm still unsure of whether or not anyone will want to read this story, but I guess that will depend on the reviews that I get. So, here it is.

Disclaimer: I do not own anyone or anything associated with the Kingdom Hearts franchise.

* * *

On an island far away stood four mice, eager to start an adventure of their own…

"Hey, Sora?" asked Riku. "Pass me that hammer would you."

"Sure thing, Riku," Sora replied. "Catch!" Sora threw the hammer toward Riku. Riku caught it expertly at its handle.

"Hah!" Riku exclaimed. "I've still got it."

"Got what?" asked Sora.

"Fast hands and a quick wrist. What else?"

"Oh yeah, well your fast hands and quick wrist aren't enough to beat me in a duel."

"Really! I could beat you with a wooden sword in only one of my hands. You still use two hands."

"I do that because it gives me more strength and swinging capabilities."

"Sure, you just do it because you're too weak."

"Oh yeah. I've got my wooden sword right here if you'd like to test my skills."

"Bring it on."

Both mice grabbed their wooden swords that they used for dueling with each other. Then they stood facing each other. Both of them stood in fighting stances: Riku stood with his wooden sword in one hand above his head with its tip pointing straight at his opponent and his other hand out in front of him; Sora stood holding his wooden sword pointed skyward with both hands similar to the way that a batter in baseball holds his bat, except that it is pointed upward. Sora and Riku prepared their first strikes against each other when a crystal clear voice was heard ringing through the air.

"Are you boys dueling again?" asked Kairi with an air of mock austerity. "You both should be finishing up our boat.

"Oh, Kairi, let them duel," Naminé said to Kairi. "After all, boys will be boys. Besides, they will get the boat finished soon. They've been working on it day after day for at least a month now. They need to get their pent up energy released."

Kairi looked at Naminé, and they both laughed aloud hysterically, walking back into town to get a sail for their boat. Meanwhile, the duel between Sora and Riku commenced. No sooner had Sora and Riku's wooden swords glanced off of each other when Sora and Riku suddenly found themselves on a road between light and dark. Destiny Island was nowhere in sight. All that existed was the road. On one side of the road, a light shone with a brilliancy that made both Sora and Riku squint. On the other side of the road, pitch-black darkness loomed. Suddenly, a voice spoke to Sora and Riku.

"Brave warriors, I salute thee and commend thee on thy courageous spirit, but a darkness is falling in both my world and thine. It won't be long before enemies of thine own kind besiege you on thy island. Thou must flee Destiny Island on your sea craft and head south. There, yet another evil darkness thou will find, but fear not, thy valor wilt see thou through all of thine trials."

"With all due respect, sir," Sora said, "how will we be able to fight the evils that will befall us? We have no weapons."

"Just what I was coming to," the voice replied. "Sora, if you would face the light. Riku, face the darkness." Both mice obeyed.

"Sora, reach into the light and take whatever it is you find," the voice said. Sora obeyed and pulled out a sword resembling a key. "That weapon is called the Keyblade; it is a weapon of light. Its use is not only for fighting, but also for unlocking and locking keyholes, which are the portals through which the enemy of your kind traverses. Locking these keyholes will prevent the enemy of your kind from coming to your world. There are two in my world also. Search for them in Salamandastron, the Mountain of the Badger Lords, and in Redwall, my beloved abbey. Any creature from my world can tell you how to get to these two places. They are the two strongest strongholds against evil, and their existence will soon be in jeopardy. Now, Riku, it is your turn to reach into the darkness and take what you find." Riku obeyed and pulled out a blade resembling a bat's wing.

"That weapon, my friend, is called Soul Eater. It draws its power from darkness, yet it can still function as a weapon of light. It is a truly unique weapon, for it matches your personality and your path as a warrior. You have a path that your friend, Sora, cannot take. You see, you walk a road between light and dark, and you can use the powers of both light and dark to enhance your warrior capabilities. Do not be afraid to allow the darkness to fully consume you because it holds no mastery over you. You hold mastery over it. All it can do is make you stronger. Together, you and Sora can overcome all odds in any battle, and that is exactly what you must do. Ah, the hour grows late. Your enemies are almost upon you. Sora and Riku, you both must make haste in finishing your boat. Then, you must take whatever friends you will with you and leave Destiny Island. Remember to sail due south."

"Alright, voice," Riku called out. "Who are you? Who are our enemies? Why did you help us? Why should we sail south? Why can't you show yourself?"

"I am sorry," the voice replied. "I can say no more except this: your weapons will come to you both whenever you need them. Also, if you want to know more about this whole ordeal, it will be revealed to you in time. Finally, before I go, I will disclose my name to you. My name is Martin, Martin the Warrior. Farewell, my friends." With Martin's parting words, Sora and Riku found themselves back on Destiny Island. Sora's Keyblade and Riku's Soul Eater were just wooden swords. There was no more road with light and darkness on either side. All that could be seen was a beach, a sea, and a town inland.

"Was that a dream?" Sora asked.

"No way," Riku replied. "That was way too vivid to be fake. Besides, if it were a dream, chances are both of us wouldn't be able to remember the same dream so clearly."

"We had better finish the boat," Sora said sticking his wooden sword into his waist belt and heading toward the unfinished sea craft.

"Good idea," Riku answered, following Sora. "It's a good thing all we have to do is erect the main mast and put up a sail."

"Yep! We can erect the mast now and wait for Kairi and Naminé to get back."

"Let's get to work then!"

A short while later, Sora and Riku sat on the sandy beach, scanning the outskirts of town for Kairi and Naminé. They had finished erecting the main mast of their sailing vessel and loaded it with supplies. Suddenly, Riku caught sight of their two close friends.

"There they are, Sora," Riku exclaimed.

"Great! It looks like they have the sail cloth that we need too," Sora said. "Wait, they have two! That's even better!"

"Sora, is it just me, or is the sky getting darker."

"You're right, Riku. It seems as if a storm is coming. So much for smooth sailing…"

"Sora! Do you see those dark black things behind Kairi and Naminé?"

"Yeah, I do. What are they?"

"Whatever they are, they don't look friendly." Riku stood up, drawing his wooden sword. Sora followed his example. As they both strode toward their friends trying to get a better look at the mysterious black specters, they both noticed their wooden swords transforming into the weapons that they had acquired in their dream.

"Now, I know that it wasn't a dream," Sora said. "These weapons are real. Martin was right. He must also be right about the enemies of our kind coming soon. I bet those black figures are them." As Sora spoke, one of the black specters jumped and attacked Kairi, slashing her on the shoulder.

"Owww!" Kairi let out a scream of agony. Both Kairi and Naminé turned around and saw what was pursuing them. Afraid, they turned tail and ran as fast as their legs could carry them toward the boat with the sailcloths between them. Sora and Riku ran as fast as they could in the opposite direction brandishing their new weapons. As they passed Kairi and Naminé, they yelled out, "Put up sail and tell us when you're done!"

With that, Sora and Riku charged into the oncoming black specters. Hacking and slashing with spectacular combinations, they made short work of their enemies. Unfortunately, for every black specter that they defeated, at least two would come in its place. Sora and Riku soon found themselves surrounded when they heard a shout.

"We're done with the sail boys," Kairi and Naminé yelled in unison. "It's time to set sail!"

Sora and Riku stood back to back in the center of a circle of black specters.

"What are we going to do, Riku?" Sora asked.

"We have to break through some part of the circle and run to the boat," Riku replied.

"If we attack together, I'm sure that we could force ourselves right past them!"

"Let's do it then! Get ready to cut a line through their circle in the direction of the boat."

"Ready!"

Together, Sora and Riku launched a joint attack, cutting a hole right through the black specter circle. Once out, they ran as hard as they could for the boat with the black specters hard on their heels.

"Kairi and Naminé, you both must set sail now!" Riku yelled out while he was running on the beach still a ways from the boat.

"We can't," Naminé replied. "We're not leaving without you two!"

"Trust me," Riku pleaded. "You must set sail now!"

"Don't worry about us," Sora assured Naminé. "We'll be fine."

Hesitantly, Naminé set the sail while Kairi took the helm. The boat groaned as it left the beach and began to sail in the water. It very gradually began to take on speed as wind filled its sail. Sora and Riku were just beginning to reach the water.

"Sora, we'll have to swim to the boat," Riku said, tucking Soul Eater into his waist belt.

"So be it, Riku," Sora replied, tucking the Keyblade into his waist belt. "Last one to the boat is a rotten egg!"

Sora and Riku dove into the water and swam for the receding boat. The black specters did not follow but instead sort of melted into the ground and disappeared. Sora and Riku eventually caught up to the boat and Naminé helped them to climb aboard.

"Welcome aboard, me hearties," Naminé said, imitating sailors' speech. "I'm glad that you two could join us on this venture. Would one of you mind taking the helm so that I could dress Kairi's wound?"

"Sure, I'll do it," Sora chimed. He strode over toward the helm and relieved Kairi of the steering. "Are you okay, Kairi?" Sora asked.

"Well, I feel fine overall, but my shoulder's really bothering me," Kairi replied.

"Naminé should be able to fix your shoulder up just fine."

"Yeah," Kairi said, giggling, "and she'll cheer me up too. I'm so happy that she's on this trip with us."

"Me too."

Kairi walked over to Naminé, and they both went to the girls' cabin, where the first aid equipment was stored. Riku sauntered over toward Sora at the helm.

"So, Sora, do you know which direction you're sailing?" Riku asked.

"As a matter of fact, I don't, Riku," Sora answered. "All I know is that we are sailing wherever the wind takes us."

"Hmm," Riku pondered as he pulled out a compass from his pocket. He held it out on his palm and watched the needle point in the northern direction. "It seems as if we are sailing east. We'll need to turn right if we're going to sail south."

"The only problem with that is that we won't be getting anywhere. If the wind's blowing east, how are we supposed to sail south?"

"I don't know. All I know is that Martin told us to sail south, so that's what we should do."

"Alright, I'll sail south," said Sora as he turned the helm. As soon as the boat's bow was facing south, the wind shifted direction and blew from east to south.

"Wow," exclaimed Sora. "That was fortunate."

"Yep," Riku agreed, "it sure was. Well, I trust that you can handle things well enough. We don't know how far we have until we hit land, so I think that I'll go into the captain's quarters and catch some shuteye. I'll need to be rested up for sailing at night. Holler if anything comes, Sora," Riku said as he walked off to get some sleep.

"You know I will," Sora said.

And so, Sora, Riku, Kairi, and Naminé began their journey toward the northern shores near Salamandastron. Their role to play in the upcoming struggle between good and evil was unknown to them, but it was inevitably their destiny to fight for the survival of good. Destiny lead them on through league after league of sea, drawing them closer and closer to Mossflower. Their very first real adventure had begun.

* * *

Well, what did you all think? Please review if you have read this (in its entirety or just a little bit of it). I would really appreciate them. Thank you all. 


	3. In Another Far Away Place

Here's chapter three of my story. It's a bit shorter than my previous two chapters, but not by much. It's another intro chapter, like the other two as well. The intro chapters will probably be going on for a few more chapters, but I can promise you action by chapter 7 or so. Anyway, I hope that you like this chapter and that you enjoy it.

Disclaimer: I do not own anything or anyone associated with the Legend of Zelda franchise, the Redwall series, or Pirates of the Caribbean.

* * *

In a different and mysterious land far away from Mossflower, a young mouse, named Link stood on the edge of a cliff with a baton (the Windwaker) in his hand, while his friend, Tetra, prepared to depart on a sea-going adventure… 

'Hmm,' thought Link to himself. 'I wonder why I had such an urge to do change the wind's direction. Why does the wind need to be blowing south?'

"Ahoy there, Link!" yelled out Tetra as she walked up to him. "What are you doing all the way up here on this mountain?"

"I have absolutely no idea."

"Well, my crew and I are about to set sail. Would you like to join us?"

"I don't know. I think that I need to stay here to keep this island's inhabitants safe."

"If the inhabitants of this island are truly your concern, then I suggest that you sail with Tetra," said a mysterious voice.

"Who said that?" asked Link.

"I, Martin the Warrior, said that," the voice replied.

"Martin the Warrior?" Tetra repeated.

"Yes, Martin the Warrior. You do not know me or anything of my history, but I know of both of yours. I come to you in a moment of crisis. Redwall Abbey, an edifice that I built for the safety of all peaceable creatures, is now imperiled. A horde of sea rats is heading right for it. They have heard of its strength and my sword that I keep there. They are a bunch of ruthless and cruel creatures. They will kill anyone and destroy anything that stands in their way."

"Excuse me, Martin," Link interrupted, "but how many of them are there?"

"Their number is insignificant. What really matters is the crew. Even so, their number is one that I cannot count. In fact, it is practically limitless."

"What!!!!" Link and Tetra yelled in unison.

"How in the world can we stand up to that many enemies?" Link cried.

"My crew is made up of only ten members, not including Link. Those sea rats would eat my crew alive for breakfast!" Tetra exclaimed emphatically.

"Yes, it would seem as if the situation is hopeless, but your heroism would be most greatly appreciated," Martin replied. "As it is, my abbey will only be defended by my predecessor, Matthias of Redwall, who now carries my sword, and the rest of the Redwallers. There are only a few who still know anything of war, and many of that few are well along in their years. The inhabitants of Redwall cannot make this stand on their own. Will you go to their aid?"

Link and Tetra stood contemplating their decisions. Finally, after some minutes of deliberation, they made their decisions.

"Fine," Link said, "I may only be one mouse, but I have the Master Sword, my Hero's Bow, a boomerang, bombs, my Hero's Shield, the Windwaker, and a plethora of other equipment that I will use to best of my ability to help the Redwallers' cause."

"All right," Tetra said. "I am a simple pirate with a ship and a crew, but I'll do what I can do to help too."

"Thank you so much, friends," Martin replied. "I can't thank you enough. Set a course for due south of here. After sailing for a short while, you will find land and a mountain called Salamandastron. From there you will want to find Mossflower Wood after traveling inland. Ask Lord Brocktree, the Badger Lord of Salamandastron, for directions through Mossflower Wood and to Redwall. He will tell you the way."

"You got all of that down, Link?" Tetra asked.

"Well, I was able to draw the beaches and Salamandastron on this paper," Link replied. "I was going to make a map."

"Excellent idea."

"I must warn you friends," Martin cautioned, "the badgers of Salamandastron and the hares of the Long Patrol are dedicated to eliminating all evil that washes up on the Northern Shores. They may mistake you for enemies. If you have any trouble, tell them that Martin the Warrior sent you. If they still have trouble believing you, tell them that the pirate Davy Jones imperils Redwall Abbey. They will know what you mean. Farewell." With those parting words, Martin's spirit ceased speaking to them.

"Davy Jones?" Link asked puzzled.

"Yes, Davy Jones," Tetra answered. "He's every pirate and sea captain's nightmare. He sails a ghost ship called the _The Flying Dutchman_ that he can submerge underwater whenever he pleases. It is also rumored that he and his crew are cursed, so that they are not among the living, yet not among the dead. Worse of all, at sea, he can summon the Kraken."

"What's a Kraken?"

"The Kraken is a mythological sea monster that is similar to an octopus, but fifty times bigger. I've heard sailors' tales of ships being smashed in two by just two of the Kraken's tentacles. I've heard even worse stories of his gigantic mouth that can swallow an entire ship in one gulp and his humungous teeth that easily tear ships to shreds."

"Wow, I had no idea that we'd be facing such a terrible foe."

"As bad as it is, if we are able to defeat him, that would make the seas much safer for seafarers like me."

"One more question, Tetra. How in the world was Davy Jones able to collect such a big crew."

"Well, he simply makes his way across the seas, recruiting dying sailors. He offers them immortality in return for an eternity of servitude."

"Hmm. Well, after hearing all that, I'm a bit scared."

"Ha ha ha! Link, you're not afraid of anything once your heroism starts kicking in."

"Hey, you're pretty fearless yourself, Heroine Tetra."

"I am not a heroine, I'm a pirate."

"Fearless, nonetheless."

"Are you ready to set sail?"

"Yep, I've got everything I need. Wait, I need to go say goodbye to my grandma and sister!"

"Well, then hurry up! We don't have all day."

"I'll be right back," Link said as he ran off toward his house to say goodbye to Aryll and his grandmother. Suddenly, he stopped and turned around. "Oh, and would it be okay if I brought the King of Red Lions (Link's boat) with me? You could haul it to the side of your ship with ropes, can't you?"

"Yes, Link, you can bring your little tugboat with you," Tetra said good-naturedly. "Now hurry up!" Receiving encouragement from Tetra, Link ran off toward his house even faster than before, kicking up sand behind him.

"Link is so dedicated to protecting his loved ones," Tetra thought to herself. "I envy him so much for that. I guess you get a cold heart like mine from being a pirate too long. Oh well, I guess I'd better make sure everything is shipshape for our voyage." With that, Tetra walked to her ship and made the final preparations for their journey to Redwall.

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There it is: another chapter. What did you all think? I'm still hoping that everyone who reads this will review it. Please review. Please, please, please, please, please? 


	4. Pirates!

Here is yet another chapter that I wrote. I'm starting to run out of chapters now, so I'll have to come up with some more. Anyway, I hope that you all like this chapter. It takes place in the open sea. It also involves some characters from a certain movie that I've just seen.

I'm going to add a general disclaimer to this story: I don't own anything or anyone in this story. All of the characters, places, and nouns originated in somebody else's imagination, not mine!

* * *

A mouse captain tossed and turned in his bunk unable to sleep. He couldn't get the image of a warrior mouse out of his head. Until finally, the warrior mouse spoke to him… 

"Captain Jack Sparrow! I need your help," the warrior mouse said.

"And who exactly might you be, mate?" asked Captain Jack Sparrow.

"I am Martin the Warrior. South of your ship lies Redwall Abbey, an edifice that I built for the purpose of protecting peaceable creatures from the evils that permeate the world. It is within Mossflower Wood. I need you and your crew to defend it."

"So, what is the proposition that you're trying to make? In case you haven't noticed, I'm a pirate, and I don't see any personal gain out of defending a fortress of kind, peace-loving creatures that do nothing but enjoy themselves all day. Is there any treasure involved?"

"No. Well, actually yes, but it's not the type of treasure you're used to. It is a wealth that can't be touched or spent or horded or buried in a treasure chest, but it is worth a thousand times more than a king's ransom in gold and silver."

"Huh, a fine treasure that is, mate," replied Captain Jack Sparrow in disgust. "Any fine ladies to be won?"

"Not exactly."

"Well, then what am I doing this for?"

"I can tell you how you can be free from the Curse of the _Black Pearl_ and the Black Mark."

"I'm listening, mate."

"At Redwall Abbey, if you look sharp, you will find a young mouse with a key. This key can open anything, including your treasure chest containing Davy Jones's heart. This mouse will have a friend with him who is an excellent healer. She will be able to cure you of the Black Mark."

"Oh, I see. All I have to do is go defend your abbey of pacifists, find a young mouse with a key and that young mouse's healer friend, and I get my little chest open and rid myself of the Black Mark, thereby freeing myself and my crew from the curse of Davy Jones and Captain Barbossa, and everyone goes home happy, am I right?"

"Yes, you are right."

"But, even if Davy Jones and Captain Barbossa and their crews were to vanish off the face of the earth, who would be left to call wee beastie off the chase, eh?"

"Are you referring to the Kraken?"

"Yes, indeed I am."

"Well, then, the solution is simple. The Kraken receives orders from Davy Jones. With Davy Jones no longer in existence, the Kraken would have no one to take orders from."

"Ah, but you don't see the bigger picture, mate. Pirate business is never as simple as all that. With or without a master, the Kraken won't stop chasing my _Black Pearl_ until it's destroyed, and me and my crew with it."

"Well, I may not know much about pirate business, but I do know that pirates know how to improvise. Besides, if you play your cards right, I don't think that you'll have to worry about the Kraken at all."

"And how would you suggest I go about doing a thing like that, mate?"

"How about you try relinquishing your piratical ways and just fighting for a just cause because it is the right thing to do. If you'd stop worrying about yourself so much and start worrying about the needs of others, I'm sure you'd find it easy to get help with your own problems. You'd have plenty of friends who'd be willing to help you with anything that you need."

"Ha, I've heard that too many times to start believing in it now. That whole "help others" philosophy is too inefficient for a person like me. It never works because it doesn't match my lifestyle, don't you see? I'm a pirate, and all I worry about is me, and my ship, and my crew, and my rum. I have a heart of stone, mate. You can't have me going about looking after those who can't even look after themselves now, can you?"

"Suit yourself, but I have one thing that I'd like you to think about. If you were really the heartless creature that you're cracking yourself up to be, then why would I be asking for your help?"

Before Jack had any time to think, Martin's spirit had vanished.

"What was that all about," Jack wondered to himself. "Ah well, I guess me and my crew've got nothing better to do anyway. Besides, heading inland could protect us from the Kraken for awhile. I'm really intrigued about that key at Redwall Abbey though and that healer. If the treasure chest containing Davy Jones's heart can really be opened, I can rid the world of him forever. Then I could deal with Captain Barbossa. Still, I'd have the Kraken to deal with. What did that Martin mean by improvising and helping others, I wonder."

After pondering awhile, Jack got out of his bed and walked onto the main deck of the _Black Pearl_.

"Captain Jack," the Mr. Gibbs hailed, "what are your orders?"

"Keep a course due south until we hit land. I have a mind to visit a place called Redwall Abbey in a Mossflower Wood. There we may be able to finally be rid of Davy Jones's curse and of Captain Barbossa and his crew."

"But what about the Kraken?"

"Don't worry your little head about it, mate. I'll improvise."

Speaking with complete confidence, Captain Jack Sparrow and his crew sailed onward toward the Northern Shores and Salamandastron.

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There is yet another chapter of mine. Please tell me what you think by reviewing. I know that it's long, but I couldn't help myself. I really liked writing this. 


	5. The Hunters

All right, readers, here is my last and final chapter that I'm finished with. Any further ones are under development. I probably won't post anymore if nobody likes this story by now, so I hope that at least one person will.

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the people or things in this story. They were all created and are owned by other brilliant persons' imaginations.

* * *

Further out at sea than any of the previously mentioned seafarers, another sea captain stood on his ship looking through his telescope. 

"Arggghhh, Captain Jack Sparrow," Davy Jones muttered to himself. "I've had enough of your insolence and rambunctious piracy. Your last little act of stealing the chest containing my heart was the last straw. Now I will destroy you and your _Black Pearl_. What do I have to worry about, the key to the chest is with me. You don't have a way to open it, and you never will. I will find you and make you regret the day you were born."

"Captain Jones," hailed one of his crew on the mizzen mast, "the _Black Pearl_ is outdistancing us. Their ship is being propelled by a strong northerly wind. It's carrying them south faster than we can sail."

"Keep our current course and follow the _Black Pearl_ for as long as you can," Davy Jones yelled out. "Jack Sparrow is up to something," Davy Jones thought to himself. "If he even thinks that he can hide from me by sailing for land, he's making a big mistake."

"Ahoy there, Davy Jones," a voice yelled out from a nearby ship. "Our prey is escaping."

"Yes, Captain Barbossa, I know," Davy Jones yelled back. "Keep all of the ships on a course due south. Something tells me that Jack Sparrow's heading for land."

"Aye, aye, Cap'n Jones. But don't forget the deal we made. I get to have my fun with Jack Sparrow before you have your way with him."

"I won't forget, Cap'n Barbossa."

With that being said, Captain Barbossa signaled all of the ships following him to plot a southern course in pursuit of the _Black Pearl_, all one thousand five hundred of them! (He did so by relaying the information from one ship to another, in a way similar to telephone. Pirates never got the info mixed up. If they ever did, they had to walk the plank, and the Kraken was usually waiting for them. These ships were filled with the crew of Davy Jones; he collected thousands of souls to sail under him for eternity.) And so, a great evil began heading for Redwall.

Intermission between the Previous Chapters and the Next

Martin the Warrior issued his call to all other noble creatures from the North, the South, the East, and the West:

Hasten fine creatures, one and all,

Quickly lest Redwall Abbey falls.

An evil great and powerful to behold,

With legions of minions and cruelty untold,

Ventures closer and closer, day and night,

Whose true form is shown only in moonlight.

This evil is so inevitably near,

All will flee in terror and fear.

But hearken to Redwall, heroes all,

Perhaps you can be this evil's downfall.

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Well, this is your last chance as a reader to tell me what you think. Please honestly review and thank you for reading. As I've already previously mentioned, I WON'T continue writing this story unless at least one person appreciates it (so I'm really hoping that someone will). Once again, thank you all for reading. 


	6. Redwall's Plight

Here's the next installment of my story. I hope that you all enjoy it. I know that it might be a bit boring reading all of the introductory stuff, but all of it is almost out of the way. Hang in there.

Oh, and I almost forgot this.

Disclaimer: I do not own anything in this story except the plot. The characters are not mine and the settings are not mine.

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The sun shone gently through the window of the gatehouse. Birds began their incessant but soothing chatter. The Dibbuns were already awake causing a ruckus. Despite the volubility of each of these sounds, they all proved insufficient for waking Matthias, Warrior of Redwall. Instead it was his son, Mattimeo who did it. Barging through the door, Mattimeo instantly pounced on his father, unable to restrain his excitement.

"Wake up, Dad," he said with glee. "You promised to begin teaching me swordplay at the crack of dawn today, remember?"

Matthias awoke with a start.

"Who, what, huh? Oh, right. Good morning, Son. Of course I remember. I just needed to get a few minutes of extra sleep."

"Well then, come on. I want to get started right away!"

"Did you remember to kiss your mother this morning and tell her you love her? The deal we made required you to show your affection for your mother more often. She needs it, you know. She loves receiving tokens of your appreciation and love for her."

"No, but I was just getting to that," Matthias said as he ran out the door to find his mother.

"My goodness, Mattimeo has matured so much since being enslaved by Slagar," Matthias reflected. "I can't think of a better time to teach him swordplay. As a matter of fact, I'd say he's mature enough to have a sword of his own. I'd have to talk it over with Cornflower, though. She'd probably disapprove, but even if she consented, where could I get a sword? There are no blacksmiths at Redwall."

Matthias rose from his bed and got dressed while pondering. The water felt cool and refreshing as he washed his face from a washbowl. Cornflower kept the water fresh by renewing it every day. After putting on his tunic and tightening his belt around his waist, Matthias reached for the sheath containing Martin the Warrior's sword. At that instant, everything around him instantly vanished and the sword transformed into Martin the Warrior himself.

"Hello, Matthias, I Am That Is."

"Martin the Warrior! It is a pleasure to see you again. It has been a long time since you last appeared to me."

"Yes, indeed it has, but unfortunately I am here on a matter of great urgency. I don't have much time. An evil is coming to Mossflower Woods. One of which this world has never seen. This evil is so powerful, that it is beginning to engulf my realm as well."

"Wait, a new evil? One of which this world has never seen? Martin, what is this evil?"

"They are already coming," Martin said, unsheathing his sword in his realm. "I have no time to explain. I've sent out calls for aid. I'm sorry that I can't guide you further, but if evil takes over my realm, all hope will be lost. You must defend your realm, and I must defend mine. It is the only way to save the world."

Matthias could only watch helplessly as Martin, clothed in all his battle armor, began fighting against a dark horde of evil, dark creatures. They surrounded him, and only light that emanated from Martin and his sword protected him from an all-out assault. The dark creatures feared the light, and it weakened them.

"Martin!" Matthias called out. "Martin!!!" Matthias yelled in vain. His vision began to blur and suddenly, he found himself back in his Gatehouse, staring at the sword of Martin the Warrior.

"Dad, what was all of the yelling about?" Mattimeo asked, walking into the room. "Were you calling Martin the Warrior?"

"Yes, I was son," Matthias replied, sheathing the sword of Martin the Warrior and strapping it over his right shoulder, just as Martin the Warrior did. "Come, we have much training to do." "Now that times have become desperate," Matthias thought to himself, "I'll be keeping this handy all of the time. I'll train Mattimeo like there's no tomorrow too. For all I know, there may not be one. I won't give up hope though. Martin's spirit is still strong in me. Whatever evil is coming, I must face it. The fate of this world hangs in the balance."

The two mice walked toward Redwall Abbey's two large wooden doors at its entrance. They exchanged friendly hellos and good mornings with the various Redwallers out and about that morning.

"Good morning to you, Amber," they both said to Amber the Squirrel.

"Good morning to you too, Matthias and Mattimeo," she said back. "Is it finally Mattimeo's time to learn swordplay?"

"Yep," Mattimeo answered excitedly. "I can't wait. I'll finally be able to help keep Redwall Abbey safe from evil, just like my dad, and all of the other warriors that came before him. It's my duty."

"Hmm hmm hmm, you'll do a fine job. Matthias, you seem a little distressed. Is everything alright?"

Matthias had a frown on his face. He was unable to get the impending evil out of his mind.

"Huh," Matthias awakened from his thoughts. "What? Oh, I'll be ok. I've just been thinking about something."

"Hmm, that something sure seems troublesome. Are you sure you don't want to talk about it?"

"We can discuss it later. As a matter of fact, I'll let everyone know about it at dinner."

"Ok, we'll wait until then."

Matthias began to have second thoughts.

"Mattimeo, go on ahead. Meet me outside the front gate. I'll be there in a second. Take this stave. You'll need it to practice with."

"All right, Dad," Mattimeo replied, unable to hold his excitement. "Come quickly!"

Mattimeo ran ahead. The red sandstone of the abbey walls flew by him as he ran with all of his speed. He was careful to avoid the other Redwallers, ducking and dodging to avoid them. Dodging a pair of Dibbuns nimbly, he was unable to avoid the old mouse walking slowly toward him.

Smack!

Both mice fell to the ground. Mattimeo leaned up, rubbing his head furiously. Looking at the older mouse, he realized who it was.

"Oh no," he said to himself. "I've run into the Father Abbot."

Quickly he dropped his wooden stave and ran to assist his Abbot.

"I'm sorry, Abbot Mordalfus. I didn't mean to run into you."

Abbot Mordalfus picked up his spectacles, wiping them off with his habit sleeves.

"That is quite all right, young one," he told Mattimeo. "Mattimeo, where are you off to in such a hurry?"

"I'm off to the front of Redwall Abbey, beyond the gate. My dad is going to teach me swordplay today!"

"Ah, he is training you to succeed him as warrior of Redwall. You certainly seem ready to learn."

"More than ever! I've dreamed of this day ever since I became free of Slagar the Cruel. I want to help those that are in need."

"Your heart is definitely in the right place," Abbot Mordalfus said, getting to his feet. "Allow me to help you open the gates.

Matthias was conversing with Amber the Squirrel.

"You were visited by Martin the Warrior?" Amber asked.

"Yes, he spoke to me briefly before doing battle with evil creatures," Matthias replied.

"What did he say?"

"He said that an evil was coming. It was even starting to take over his world."

"What is this evil?"

"He didn't say, but I did get a look at them. They were all black, and many had some type of insignia on them. It looked like a red heart with an arrow point at the bottom. It was very strange. Where the army came from was another thing. They seemed to just materialize out of the ground."

"This enemy seems powerful. We need to put the abbey on red alert. Sentries must be posted day and night, and we need to have all creatures with at least some battle experience ready to fight at a moment's notice."

"It's been so many years since we've been in war, though. Most of our inhabitants only know the way of peace. They've forgotten the craft of war. Without Martin's spirit to guide us, this battle will be difficult."

"Yes, but if we lose, no one will be able to survive. We have to fight to the bitter end. No matter how what the cost."

"You're right. That's why I need to train Mattimeo."

"Go, then. I will tell everyone to move into Cavern Hole and store provisions in it. I'll also get together my arching squad and recruit some otters. They'll be ready for anything."

"Right. Good luck, and thank you, Amber."

Matthias walked briskly toward the open gate of Redwall Abbey. Storm clouds began to gather overhead. Thunder was heard not far off.

"That's odd," Matthias thought. "The weather has never changed this quickly, and in the summer too. It's always bright and sunny."

Matthias rushed off to join his son, who was patiently waiting outside. The training began.

Meanwhile, a little further up the path leading toward the abbey, a mouse stood. He wore a dark coat. He had long silver hair. He wore white gloves and he had a determined look on his face.

"So, this is Redwall Abbey, a beacon of hope for all," he said to himself. "If this is one of this world's strongholds of light, then I must make it a fortress of darkness.

"Heartless, come to me," Ansem said, as he summoned his army of darkness. They came from the ground and sky, a hideous group of the darkest beings. They all had the insignia that Matthias described, a red heart with an arrow pointing at the bottom.

"Take the heart of each an every creature in that abbey. Make it worthy of my dark dominion!"

The creatures began walking toward Redwall Abbey.

"All will soon come to darkness, now that the door has been opened. None shall be able to oppose me. Soon, I shall take control of Kingdom Hearts!"

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Well, what did all of you think? Please review. I will take any that you will give me. If you don't review, then I'd encourage you to read on.


	7. The Samurai and the Z Warriors

I'm making my way through the introductory stuff, still. I hope that the readers of this story aren't bored. I've tried to add action to most of my chapters. You'll most definitely get some here. Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters or the settings. I just own my imagination, which I used to create the plot. That's all that I own.

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A little ways off in the forest, a mouse sat on the cool grass meditating. He wore a loose-fitting white robe and wore (samurai shoes) on his feet. At his side, a sheath rested. Within that sheath was his trusty samurai sword, handed down to him from his father, who had received it from his father, and so on and so forth. Indeed, this mouse was a samurai; Samurai Jack was what he was called. He was known for his amazing skill and extraordinary agility in battles. Jack had dedicated his life to protecting the innocent and upholding the cause of the needy. Many villages were indebted to him for his bravery, for he saved many from tyranny, injustice, exploitation, and all manner of evil doings. He had even once saved the world from a shapeshifter of darkness, called Aku, but that's another story. He now sat contemplating his next course of action. Last night, in his dreams, he was visited by a warrior mouse who told him about a great evil coming to Mossflower and Redwall. He could now sense this great evil. The world was slowly being immersed into darkness. He could feel it. He now wondered what role he would play in the future battle against evil. Where could he go to help? What could he do? Who was the enemy that he would face? Was there any time left to do something? Jack opened his eyes. The sun was blotted out by clouds. The forest now contained pockets of shadow and darkness. Out of one of these pockets, Jack thought he saw a pair of eyes. Looking closely, he realized that a small black shadowy figure was attached to the pair of eyes. The small figure shifted uncertainly about. Its glances went from here to there and back again. It seemed unsure of itself. Jack had compassion on the creature. Getting up, he resolved to help the poor thing.

"It's probably some frightened little animal that is afraid of the dark. I will do my best to console it."

He continued to walk toward it. Once he was close enough, he kneeled down in front of it, and he held out his hand.

"Come here, little one. It's alright."

The creature looked up at Jack through its big yellow eyes. Then, it jumped up at Jack, slashing at his hand.

"Ahhh," Jack said in agony. Looking at his hand, he saw three distinct scratches where the heartless's claws had cut through his flesh. "This is no helpless creature; it is a monster." Jack turned away from the heartless to find more coming out of the ground. To the left of him, to the right of him, in front of him, behind him, and above him the creatures began to materialize. He then noticed the insignia that each of them bore: a red heart with an arrow point at the bottom. Jack's hand slowly strayed to the helm of his samurai sword. He looked left and right for any possible way to escape the imminent confrontation.

"Perhaps after defeating these creatures, I will be free from them."

Jack drew his sword and went about destroying the heartless. None of them were fast enough to compete with Jack. His blade went through them faster than they could flinch. Whenever one heartless focused an attack on Jack, he was already in a different location. Every sword stroke that Jack executed had finesse. It didn't take long for Jack to eliminate all of the heartless.

"Hmmm, I wonder what those creatures were," Jack wondered to himself as he slowly sheathed his samurai sword. No sooner had he sheathed his sword that more heartless started to appear.

"How is this possible," Jack exclaimed. "There is no end to these creatures. Fighting an innumerable enemy is pointless. I must seek a refuge." It was then that Samurai Jack recalled hearing about a place called Redwall Abbey. He was not far from it now.

"Redwall Abbey," Jack contemplated. "Surely it would be a place of refuge from such a great evil. Perhaps I will find safety in the confines of its four sandstone walls. First, however, I will need to disperse these heartless that plague me."

Samurai Jack unsheathed his sword again to rid himself of these black nightmares, only this time, he found that there was no easy way out. For every heartless that he destroyed, at least two more appeared. He soon discovered that he wasn't just fighting to get to Redwall Abbey, he was fighting for his life. Before long, he was surrounded by heartless.

"This is not looking good," Jack said to himself. Jack held his sword in front of him. The heartless formed a massive circle around him and began to close him in, preventing any escape.

"Why are these creatures so intent upon killing me?" Jack asked himself. "I don't care how many there are. I will fight them until they depart from me, and if I die here, at least I will do this world's inhabitants a favor in getting rid of these dark creatures." "Haaaa!!!!!!"

Samurai Jack leaped high into the air, bringing his sword behind him with both hands. He then came down upon the throng of heartless with a powerful downward slash. He then charged through them, sword in hand. His sword flashed through the air spinning, striking, whirring, hacking, and slashing seemingly everywhere at once around Jack. He would not give up without a fight. If he went down, the heartless were going with him. It would be his last service to others, his last time protecting the innocent and the weak, but he was ready to meet his end.

Meanwhile, in an area not far from Samurai Jack's vicinity and a few moments before the heartless' assault…

"I'm tired of all this walking, Goten," stated a tired out Trunks. Trunks was a small mouse, with purple fur on top of his head, which was strange for a mouse. He wore orange boots and loose-fitting green sweat pants. Around his upper torso, he wore a buttoned-down blue jacket. His jacket was unbuttoned at the moment. Across his back hung a sheath. In it was Trunks's Z-Sword. The Z-Sword was a gift to him given by his friend Tapion before he left. Trunks was well trained in the art of swordplay. He also learned different techniques that were unknown to most sword-wielders. He was a close friend of Goten's. They had grown up together as friends ever since they were babies. They trained in martial arts together, went to school together, played together, and were the best of friends. Recently, they were deemed worthy to go on a journey together. They had both reached a certain age where young mice were allowed to go off on their own for a period of three seasons. It was a journey that was said to make the questing mice adults when they returned. They were still only about half way into their first season of adventuring.

"I'm tired out, too, Trunks," Goten said. Goten was around the same height as Trunks. Goten had black fur on top of his head and wore black moccasin-type shoes. He wore an orange sweat suit with blue stripes down the sides and a blue belt. Across his right shoulder, hung the Power Pole. The sweat suit and the Power Pole were both gifts from his father, Goku. Goku taught Goten all that he knew about the Power Pole and its uses. It was a special stick made of indestructible wood that had the ability to extend, which made it a handy tool. It not only had uses for all-purpose utility, but it was also useful in battles.

"Let's stop here for a while," Goten suggested. Both mice ceased their walking and sat down upon the fresh, cool grass.

"How long have we been walking?" Trunks asked.

"Oh, since before sunrise. I'd say that we've walked for about 5 hours. Still, it's hard to tell. The sky has gotten dark all of a sudden."

"Yeah, you're right! It's almost as if a storm is coming, one of which the world has never before seen the likes of. Goten, can you sense that?"

"What?"

"That tiny power reading. I don't know how, but I'm sensing it more and more. Ever since this morning, I've sensed a growing presence. It started off really tiny, but now it's becoming a concern."

"Yeah, I know what you mean. I felt it too, but I thought that I was misreading it. I thought that it was nothing and that it'd go away soon enough. Maybe it has something to do with the weather."

"All I know is that so far, our three-season adventure stinks. Nothing exciting has happened. All that we've done is walk around and eat what we can find."

"That's not true. What about when we met that otter family by the Northern Shores of Salamandastron? Didn't we get to fight alongside them against a horde of toads? Wasn't that fun?"

"I want a real battle, an epic battle that determines the fate of the universe! That's what we've been training for, not petty skirmishes like the ones that we had with the toads. We could've defeated the lot of them by ourselves. Their tridents snapped like twigs. They were no real trouble. The only threat that they posed was to innocent, lone travelers who are unable to defend themselves against such numbers."

"I agree with you, Trunks. I thought that our adventure would be a lot more adventurous than the way it's turning out. Still, you can't forget the oath that we took. We swore to protect the weak and innocent with our powers and abilities, no matter what."

"I can't take it anymore!" Trunks stood up. "If something doesn't happen soon, I'll…"

Trunks stopped his talking. Instead, he concentrated on the power readings that he sensed. For a second, he sensed an unbelievably strong power. Goten had noticed this too and was also focusing on the power readings.

"Something is happening, Trunks," Goten said. "That something, or someone, is now here, and they don't seem friendly from the readings I'm getting. Beings of this much power do not simply come into peaceful places such as these for friendly visits."

"I say we investigate, Goten," Trunks suggested. They both began to lock onto the concentration of this great power, when suddenly, it vanished. Now, the power seemed to be dispersed throughout the area. Because of this, the powers were severely weakened but still dangerous.

"What just happened, Trunks?"

"I don't know. All I know is that we had better…"

"Haaa!!!!!!"

Both mice immediately turned toward the sound. It was another mouse's voice, and it seemed distressed, yet determined. Exchanging a look and a nod, Goten and Trunks ran through the forest, to aid this mouse in need of assistance. Crashing through the underbrush, they crested a slight rise and came upon a frightening scene. A humungous ring of black creatures formed a circle around a lone mouse in the center. This mouse wielded a sword, and from the look of things, he was a samurai warrior. He seemed quite capable of holding his own, but in time, it was obvious that he wouldn't last because the black creatures kept on reappearing.

"Trunks, we have to help that mouse out," Goten said with urgency in his voice.

"Finally," Trunks said with eagerness, "we get to fight some real foes!" Goten pulled out his Power Pole and Trunks whipped out his Z-Sword. Both mice were accustomed to fighting with only their paws (they knew tae kwon do, karate, kung fu, jujitsu, and all the other forms of martial arts), but in this situation, they weren't just defending themselves. They were trying to help someone else, and, in this case especially, weapons would do much more damage than paws.

"We'll save you," they cried as they flew through the air, weapons in paw. Trunks landed right next to Samurai Jack. Together, they faced back to back, fending off heartless with thrusts, parries, and slices. Goten landed on a flying heartless instead.

"Take this!" Goten yelled with Power Pole upraised. Goten beat it repeatedly in the head with it until it was senseless. Before the final blow was struck, the flying heartless uttered a piercing cry. To Goten's surprise, it disintegrated, leaving Goten in mid-air. The cry, however, attracted ten more flying heartless, all bent on destroying Goten. Instead of attacking him all at once, they used a different approach. One after the other they flew at him from different directions. Goten and Trunks were gifted with the ability of flight, but they only used it when absolutely necessary. Otherwise, other creatures would think them abnormal. Goten soon found himself busy with an aerial assault.

Samurai Jack and Trunks fought on with their swords, but over time, they felt their energy draining. Goten soon dropped in between them.

"Get down," Goten commanded them. Jack and Trunks obeyed quickly, glad to get a few seconds' rest. Whirling his Power Pole high above his head, Goten called out in a loud voice "Power Pole extend!" The pole extended itself to an incredible length (about ten times its size). Goten swung it forcefully in a circular motion, clearing away many of the surrounding heartless and creating a circular space. The heartless began to rush the three warriors with another wave when they suddenly stood still. For a few moments, they didn't move or act in any way. As suddenly as they stopped moving, they started moving again, but toward the east. They all seemed to be traveling to a certain destination.

"Are you alright?" Trunks asked Samurai Jack.

"Yes, I'm fine," Jack replied. He sheathed his magic sword and took a deep breath. "I've never fought such a relentless foe before. For every one that I destroyed, two would come in its place."

"Tell me about it," Trunks huffed. "I want another shot at 'em. I don't mean to brag, but I bet I could take out a hundred of those all by myself."

"Oh yeah?" Goten said. "Sure, you could."

"I will, just watch me. Next time we fight those black things, it's game over for them."

Samurai Jack walked in the direction of the heartless a few steps and stared.

"I wonder where they are headed," Jack pondered. "Did they have some greater purpose to attend to? Surely they could have overtaken us in time."

Goten tucked his Power Pole into his belt behind his back.

"I don't know what they're after," Goten said, "but I know that it can't be good. Why don't we follow them?"

"That might be dangerous. Perhaps we could stop by Redwall Abbey and seek refuge for a time. We can collect our thoughts there, be refreshed, and alert the abbey's inhabitants about this newfound evil."

"Redwall Abbey! I love that place! What do you say, Trunks? Do you want to visit Redwall Abbey? We could hang out with Matthias again. Maybe he's gotten old enough to get his own sword."

Trunks folded his arms across his chest. "Whatever," he said impassively.

"Then it is decided," Jack said. "We will visit Redwall Abbey. If I remember correctly, it should be this way."

Jack led the way to Redwall Abbey. It was in the same direction that the heartless went earlier, but he didn't think about it. Neither did Goten or Trunks. For all they knew, the heartless could be going anywhere or nowhere at all.

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Well, I hope that you all enjoyed this chapter and the story in general. I'm working on it now. I know that I haven't been updating it lately, but I'm still not sure if anyone even wants to read it yet. Nobody reviews, so please do, if you have time. I would greatly appreciate it. Whether you like it or not, just review. Voice your opinions please. I'm all ears.


	8. A Warm Welcome

Hey everybody! This will probably be the last chapter of this story (and the longest!) because it seems as if no one is enjoying it, except me. Anyway, thank you, Avelblue, for reviewing my story and giving me advice. I have taken it into consideration and I am now currently developing a new story, with fewer crossovers (I narrowed it down to about one). I called the new story, The Color of Hope. I haven't finished its beginning yet, so it won't be up for a while. Enjoy!

Oh, and by the way, I don't own Redwall or the characters from it that you will read about. I don't own any of the characters, actually. I just own my imagination and creativity; just about everything else belongs to someone else.

…………………………………………………………………………………………………….

In yet another part of the forest, a ball of light appeared. Crows in nearby trees watched it anxiously, hopping around on branches. All of a sudden, the light burst forth, causing the crows to shield their eyes with their wings. When the magnificent light faded, two hamsters appeared. They were new creatures to the crows, but they looked tasty enough. One had snow-white fur. Its eyes were crystal blue, and she had some type of stick-like thing slung around her back. The other had white fur also but had an orange fur at the top of his head that went from its left cheek to the bottom of his right ear. Across his back slung a sword.

"What do you think, General?" a particular crow asked. The General preened his feathers with his beak reflectively.

"Hmm," he thought, "they are bigger than most mice, Blacktip." General Ironbeak stopped preening his feathers to take a second look at the hamsters. He examined them for a few seconds. "I am unfamiliar with this species; however, no species has been able to stand against our numbers, save Asmodeus Poisonteeth." General Ironbeak and Blacktip shuddered at that name. Both crows recalled the last encounter that they had with the poisonous adder.

Flashback

A team of fifteen of the strongest crows had been assembled and successfully raided a roving band of weasels. The crows came away with fancy weapons, food, and a few pieces of jewelry. The food was what they were mainly after, for there was a shortage in their home that winter. Each warrior had eaten quite a bit of the spoils and carried a good portion of it as well. Eventually, on the flight home, everyone became tired and called for a brief respite. General Ironbeak was happy to oblige. He chose a grassy plain for his team to rest in. All crows relaxed, unaware of a silent, stealthy adder slithering undetected between blades of grass. All at once, they heard his voice.

"Asmodeussss," it said softly. "Asmodeussss."

The crows immediately stood to attention and turned to face the adder.

"Sssss, you have tressspassssed on my territory. Now you shall be punisssshed. None of you will essssscape alive."

General Ironbeak prepared for battle. He ordered his team to attack him in three waves of five. They assembled quickly and got ready to engage the enemy. General Ironbeak and Blacktip, his second in command, were in the final wave.

"Alright, first wave. Attack! Kchaa!" General Ironbeak ordered.

Five brave crows flapped their wings, and after an awkward takeoff, flew toward Asmodeus. Every crow was taught to look his enemy straight in the eye. To do so showed that crows knew no fear. This show of strength, however, proved to be their downfall in this massacre.

"Asmodeusssss," Asmodeus hissed. As he did so, he fixed his eyes on the five attacking crows. Something about his voice disturbed the crows, and his eyes stared at them in such a way as to instill fear into them. They became so fearful, that their wings stopped function, and they became frozen with fear. Each of the five crows fell to the ground where they remained, unable to move any of their body parts.

"Kchka!!" General Ironbeak exclaimed in disbelief. "Second wave, attack!"

The second wave was a bit more hesitant in following orders. After seeing their comrades fall so easily, they didn't feel comfortable fighting the snake.

"Asmodeusss," the adder hissed once again. This caused the second wave of crows to look at the adder. They immediately were immobilized by its stare.

"Kchaa!" General Ironbeak exclaimed in frustration. His troops' disobedience vexed him greatly.

"General Ironbeak, Sir," Blacktip said. "Something is not right here."

"I know," General Ironbeak replied. "They've had so much to eat that they're disobeying my orders. Don't worry, I'll soon fix that." Ironbeak hopped over to a second wave crow and hit him hard with his wing. The crow fell over without moving a muscle. The crow was like a statue. Ironbeak realized that this snake was no ordinary snake. He had heard tales of a snake that seemed to enchant its victims with its eyes, paralyzing them. They were all fairytales to him. He never believed in them.

"Asmodeussss," the adder said. It used this time to move closer to the last wave of crows.

"Scatter," Ironbeak commanded, "and don't look the poisonteeth in the eye!" Ironbeak took off without a moment's hesitation, not looking back to see what happened to his team until he was a safe distance away. Finding a tall spruce tree, he landed in its branches. Turning around on the branch, he gazed into the distance for his four remaining troops. Only one returned, Blacktip.

"Kchaka! Where are the other three warriors?" Ironbeak inquired of Blacktip as he flew in.

Blacktip flew next to Ironbeak before landing on a branch a little higher up.

"None survived, sir," Blacktip replied. "I tried to get the other three to come, but they had already looked upon the poisonteeth's eyes. I flew off in the opposite direction that you did until I gained enough altitude to follow you. I passed by the poisonteeth again. I saw him devouring my comrades, one by one. They didn't even offer up any resistance; they were completely still."

Ironbeak closed his eyes, contemplating the loss of good troops.

"Those were my good friends," Ironbeak said. "They were faithful and loyal to a fault. We grew up together, fought together. Now, I have to start all over again with training new troops."

"You still have me, sir."

General Ironbeak opened his eyes and looked at Blacktip.

"Will you help me train the new recruits?"

"You know that I will, sir."

"You're a good friend, Blacktip." Ironbeak spread his wings, preparing to depart. "I can always rely on your judgment when anger clouds my own. Let's go home."

"Yes, sir!"

Both crows flew back to their homeland.

"Sir, what kind of a snake was that?" Blacktip asked.

"That was the one and only Asmodeus Poisonteeth," Ironbeak answered.

"Asmodeus Poisonteeth? Isn't he a myth? He's just an old wives' tale that is used to scare tiny ones into being good."

"I thought so too, but we've seen him with our very own eyes. We would do well to steer clear of him from now on."

End of General Ironbeak's Flashback

"Well, the adder isn't around now," General Ironbeak stated after he finished reminiscing. "The poisonous adder known as Asmodeus hasn't shown himself in this part of Mossflower Wood ever since a mouse called Matthias defeated him in combat.

"That must have been one heck of a battle," Blacktip said. "Why didn't Matthias kill him when he had the chance?"

"It was a foolish choice. I don't have the answer. We've gotten off topic. These two creatures are our prime objective. We will confront them, tell them of their wrongdoing, and commence to punish them. Understood?"

"Yes, sir. I'll gather the troops." Blacktip flew from branch to branch, telling the team of fighting crows the General's commands.

……….

A bright light flashed and suddenly, Hamtaro and Bijou found themselves in a wooded area. Sunlight shone through the branches of overhead trees. It was a cool spring day. Live was peaceful in this area. The only audible sound was of birds rustling overhead in the branches of a nearby spruce tree. Bijou examined her surroundings with wonder.

"The scenery here is beautiful," Bijou exclaimed. She closed her eyes and took in a deep breath of fresh air. "It smells of pine here. Don't you love it here, Hamtaro? Hamtaro?" Hamtaro was busy listening to the sounds above him. His hamster ears twitched as he strained to hear the conversation going on between two crows.

"Shhh!" he told Bijou. He motioned with his paw upward into a nearby spruce tree. Bijou focused on the conversation as well, but it had already ended. Hamtaro was only able to snatch a few bits and pieces, but he did manage to here the words "these two creatures," "our prime objective," and "commence to punish them." Now the crows were hopping up and down on their branches excitedly while crowing. They seemed restless.

"What was that all about?" Bijou asked. She didn't hear anything. Hamtaro stopped listening and shrugged his shoulders.

"Beats me," he replied. "I don't think it's safe for us to be around here anymore though." Meanwhile, the crows had become louder with their crowing and were in a frenzy.

"I get your point. Now, which way were we supposed to walk?" Both hamsters stopped to think.

"Harmony said that we should head east," Hamtaro said. Bijou looked up at the sun in a clearing.

"If the sun is traveling that way," Bijou said, pointing to the west, away from Hamtaro, "then the other way is east."

"Let's head this way then," Hamtaro said, marching eastward. Bijou ran up to him and walked with him. After three steps, the crows were silent. Hamtaro and Bijou stopped, wondering what had happened to all the noise. Both of them turned around to look at the spruce tree. The crows weren't on the branches anymore. Suddenly, there were "caws" heard all around them. Crows dropped all around them from the sky. They were surrounded by a host of twenty crows. One crow, larger than the rest, landed right in front of them. He had silver feathers covering his head and a sharp orange beak. A crow with grey feathers and black tips on his wings stood by its side.

"Kaa! Weirdbeasts, you have trespassed on Crowbad domain," the crow leader said. It glared at them menacingly and clacked its beak. "The penalty for trespassing is death."

"But wait…" Hamtaro started.

"Quiet!" Ironbeak shrieked. "General Ironbeak speaks! You have no respect for the established laws of our tribe. For that you will suffer dearly. Warriors, att-"

"Wait! Stop!" Hamtaro exclaimed. "You haven't given us a chance to defend ourselves. We didn't mean to trespass or offend you in any way. We're unfamiliar with our surroundings and we simply want to get to a place called Redwall Abbey. Could you let us through your domain and tell us where it is? We won't ever bother you again."

"It is too late," Ironbeak said, spreading his wings to give emphasis to his words. As he did so, the sky darkened and storm clouds gathered. Thunder shook the air and frightened them all. Even Ironbeak shuddered slightly before regaining his composure. "What's done is done. Now you must pay!" Hamtaro and Bijou whipped out their weapons. General Ironbeak flew forward, and aimed a strike at Hamtaro with his beak. Hamtaro deflected the strike with his sword. General Ironbeak's momentum carried him further and past the two hamsters.

"We don't want to fight you," Hamtaro pleaded. "We just want to get through."

"I've had enough of your whining," Ironbeak said. "Chaka! All warriors attack!" The crows rushed forward, charging toward Bijou and Hamtaro, who stood back-to-back with weapons held at the ready.

"We have to fight, Bijou," Hamtaro told her as the crows came closer. "There's no other way out." Bijou remained silent for a moment.

"That's what I was afraid of," she said. Two crows flew straight at her. They started at first to peck at her. Using Goldheart, she swatted at their beaks with the sharp part of her lance. The crows received cuts on their beaks, which made them angry. Instead of pecking, they resorted to swiping their wings at her. Hamtaro found himself busy with four crows, each one pecking at him in succession. Each time a crow pecked at him, he hacked at the beak, causing the striking crow to back down. The crows caught on to his tactics and resorted to flying above him and grab at him with their talons. Hamtaro ducked and dodged while stabbing at the other pecking crows that tried to get him.

"I don't have any room to fight," Hamtaro thought to himself. "I'm only putting Bijou in danger this way. I have to get a little farther out." Hamtaro moved forward while parrying and thrusting his sword at crows. He began to get the hang of swordfighting. Crows began to attack less often and give him more room as Awakening whizzed through the air. Then he heard a scream. Hitting a crow back with his sword, Hamtaro turned around. He immediately spotted Bijou on the ground. A crow knocked her flat with his wing and started to pick her up in his talons.

"No, Bijou!" Hamtaro cried. He moved in her direction but heard the cawing of crows behind him. He turned around to fight them off.

"Help," Bijou cried. "Help me!" The crow carried her off and its fellow warriors followed him, including General Ironbeak. Several of them were injured, but still able to fly.

"I'll let you off the hook, Weirdbeast," General Ironbeak called to him as he flew by. "She will suffer, and you can go free. You can go and find your Redwall Abbey now." General Ironbeak and his lackeys flew high up into the spruce tree that they were in earlier. Hamtaro sheathed his sword, picked up Goldheart (Bijou had dropped it earlier) and ran after them. At the base of the tree, he stuck Goldheart underneath his sheath behind his back and started to climb the tree.

……….

Cloud the Squirrel rested peacefully upon the branch of an oak tree. His dreams were haunted by his past. Darkness, despair, sadness, and pain – they all found a way into his day-to-day scene. Nothing had been the same. All the same, he needed his rest. He awoke with a start at the sound of a great company of crows cawing and causing a ruckus in a nearby spruce tree. Cloud sighed.

"Why is it that those blasted crows have to be so noisy?" he thought to himself. He never could understand why.

"Well, I think it's about time to pay them a visit," Cloud continued in his thoughts. Cloud stood up and stretched his arms to the sky. He bent down and touched his foot paws with his paws. Straightening up, he reached behind his back with his right paw for his broadsword. Grasping the hilt, he withdrew it from the sheath strapped to his back. Cloud swung it through the air a few times, testing its balance.

"Hmph, my broadsword's as good as ever," he said out loud. Cloud's sword was composed of six various swords that formed an ultimate weapon. The swords he could easily separate by touching a point on his hilt and detaching a sword. This came in handy as fighting situations varied. His broadsword functioned properly as a whole and could pretty much cut through anything. It was the weapon of the S.O.L.D.I.E.R. His best friend Zack had it before him. Cloud immediately stuck his broadsword back into the sheath strapped to his back. He didn't want to dwell on the past again. There was nothing for him there, nothing but loss.

Cloud Strife was a squirrel with brown fur. He wore a black coat that only covered the left side of his body and a sleeve that covered his left arm. Underneath the coat, he wore a light grey vest that had a zipper on it. He left the top of this vest, near his neck and face, unzipped. He also wore two cross straps that held a mechanism behind his back that held his sword. The left strap that covered his chest had a button-looking thing on it that resembled a wolf's head. The fur around Cloud's head was a sandy-colored blonde and a little bit spiked. No one knew why, but that's the way it was and always would be.

"I think that I'd like some water first," Cloud said to himself. Cloud jumped off of the high branch that he'd been on and allowed himself to fall freely headfirst. Closing his eyes, he relaxed. Cloud had spent all of his adolescent and teen years in Mossflower Wood and beyond. He knew every tree here and every branch on account of being in them so often. At just the right moment, Cloud opened his eyes and stretched out his right arm, anticipating a tree branch. It was there, just as he expected. Upon feeling it, he grasped it tightly. Using the momentum of his fall, he swung in a circle around the branch and, letting go of the branch, neatly somersaulted in the air before landing on the ground. Cloud was an extremely agile squirrel. The countless days and nights that he'd spent in trees fighting, fleeing, resting, and living taught him unshakable balance.

Cloud proceeded to walk over to a nearby lake. Cautiously, he approached it, watching for any pikes or other dangerous manner of fish. He did notice a pike deep in the center of the lake, but it appeared to be sleeping. Still, he decided to be cautious. Slowly, he knelt down at the water's edge and collected water in his cupped hands. All the while, he watched the pike. After a few seconds of being completely still, he realized that the pike truly was asleep. Cloud relaxed, but still remained alert. He first splashed the cupful of water (from his hands) in his face. Next, he took another cupful (also from his hands) and drank from it. After drinking, Cloud shook his head to get rid of the water on his face. As soon as he finished, he noticed a pair of eyes watching him from a nearby bush. He continued shaking his head to get the last few drops of water off of his face. All the while, he observed the eyes. They remained stationary and didn't move. Cloud saw in them a potential enemy, but he never attacked without a proper motive. After a few moments of deliberation, Cloud decided that the best plan of action would be to leave. The crows were becoming more and more raucous by the second. Watching his back, Cloud turned away from the pair of eyes and headed toward the tall spruce tree that the crows resided in. His right hand remained ready to pull out his sword in case of any trouble. None came, and before long, he found himself at the base of the spruce tree. Looking up, he saw a distant white object already ascending the tree. It was almost to the top where the crows were.

"Hmm," Cloud huffed. "It looks like someone else has already decided to take care of the crow problem." Cloud continued to stare upward. He reached his right arm around his back to feel the hilt of his Ultima Weapon. "Well, it's my problem too, so I might as well lend a hand. I told those crows to leave. They just never learn." Cloud jumped up to the first branch of the spruce tree in a single bound (Cloud had amazing jumping capabilities). From this branch, he jumped to the next, and the next, and made his way up the tree in this fashion. While he was still about ten branch jumps away from the top, he looked up and saw a horrible sight.

"Oh no!" Cloud yelled. He jumped the branches twice as fast, hoping to reach the top in time.

……….

"Hmmm," Skipper muttered to himself. "I've seen that squirrel around before somewhere." Skipper tapped his rudder softly on the ground in an attempt to help him remember. Skipper was a middle-aged otter who had been with Redwall Abbey for quite some time. He'd seen times of peace and times of war and everything in-between. He treasured the beloved abbey, but he also had an adventurous spirit. From time to time, he would go off on random journeys. Sometimes, he would be gone for a few days; other times, he would be gone for seasons. Today, he couldn't help going to the lake in Mossflower Woods. He needed some time alone. Time to rest and relax for a bit.

"Oh well. I can't remember that squirrel's name, but he looks so familiar." Skipper gave up trying to remember and turned his attention to the lake. "I love this lake," Skipper said to himself. He strode over to the lake's edge. Skipper stretched his arms skyward then bent down to touch his foot paws. He turned his torso from side to side and wagged his rudder back and forth.

"Alright, I'm ready for a swim." Skipper took a running start and got ready to plunge in. Just before he jumped, he eyed a sleeping pike in the center of the lake.

"Hmm. That pike must've been why that squirrel paused before washing his face and getting a drink of water." Skipper took a few steps backward and braced himself.

"The pike has razor sharp teeth, a streamlined body, and jaws powerful enough to crush bone, but I'll take my chances. After all, I'm a tough old sea dog, harr." Skipper ran forward and dove into the lake without even making a ripple.

……….

Bijou stood in the makeshift nest, trembling. She was now at least fifty feet above the ground, and she was not fond of heights.

"Don't worry," she told herself. "You will be alright. You'll find a way out of this predicament somehow." Bijou cautiously lifted her head over the edge of nest and peeked over it.

"Eeeek!" Bijou yelled. "I hate heights! I hate them! How in the world am I going to get out of here!" Bijou broke down crying. The laughter of crows met her ears. Bijou quickly wiped the tears from her eyes and looked around. She didn't want them to see her scared.

"Kah kah kah!" General Ironbeak laughed. "It is funny to see you so afraid!"

"Great," Bijou thought. "They've already seen my fear."

"We crows take pride in our strength and courage. Seeing other creatures cower in our presence elates us even more, Chka!"

"You crows think that you are so great. All you are are a bunch of bullies!"

"Silence, Chaka! You dare lecture us? Enough! We were going to have a bit of fun with you, but now you leave us no chance but to punish you now! You have disrespected our heritage, and the penalty is death!"

The fighting crows roused themselves up, hopping about on branches and cawing more and more loudly.

"Die now!" General Ironbeak yelled. "Go forth, my warriors. Now we punish this weirdbeast!"

Bijou's heart beat faster and faster as the crows left their branches and flew toward her.

"Oh no. What do I do now? Oh, Hamtaro, where are you? I never even got to tell you how much I love you. I need you now."

"Bijou, Catch!" a voice yelled. Looking in the direction of the voice, Bijou saw Goldheart flying toward her. She caught it expertly in her hands and held it at the ready. She knew whose voice it was that had called to her. She wasn't alone. Her help had arrived. Now she knew that she'd be okay. With Hamtaro on the scene, she was ready to face whatever came her way. He gave her a sense of security that couldn't be shaken.

……….

Hamtaro landed on the branch that supported a nest that held Bijou. Bijou had caught Goldheart that he threw at her and was now fighting off the swarm of crows that attacked her. Hamtaro drew Awakening from its sheath.

"There is no way that I will allow anything bad to happen to Bijou again!" Hamtaro said to himself. "I swear it!" Hamtaro charged into the fray. One crow happened to see him coming and easily brushed him away with its wing. Hamtaro forgot that his only footing was a tree branch, suspended about fifty feet off of the ground. All of that became apparent as he lost his balance and began to fall over. Suddenly, he felt a paw lifting him upright again. After regaining his balance, Hamtaro saw the one who helped him. It was a sandy-colored squirrel with a large broadsword.

"Are you alright?" the squirrel asked him.

"Yes, I'm fine, thanks to you," Hamtaro replied.

"Good." The squirrel turned to face the crows. "General Ironbeak! Your time of reckoning has come!"

"Oh has it?" General Ironbeak questioned as he rose from the melee taking place around the nest.

"I've told you and your little friends to clear out of Mossflower Wood forever!" Cloud stated, holding his Ultimate Weapon directly in front of him in a fighting stance. "You haven't done that, so I guess I'll have to remove you by force."

"You may have gotten to best of us once, Cloud, but it won't happen again. Chaka!" General Ironbeak rose higher into the air and delivered a piercing shrill. Suddenly, a force of twenty crows descended from the sky. All of them flew directly at Cloud. Also, five of the crows attacking Bijou flew toward Cloud as well. Cloud sized up the situation quickly and weighed his options within a moment's notice.

"Come and get me," Cloud told them all in defiance. Cloud leaned backward and allowed himself to fall headfirst off of the tree branch. The attacking crows followed in his wake.

……….

"Take that you evil crow!" Bijou yelled, hitting a crow square in the chest with the butt of her lance. She had already felled twenty crows and only five were left. She fought with a ferocity that the crows had not anticipated; the last five crows attacked cautiously and resorted to circling her and attacking in succession. Bijou soon caught on and took them out, one by one.

"Ha ha!" Bijou exclaimed twirling Goldheart around in her hand. Then she raised it into the air.

"Yes, I'm free!"

"Not anymore, chaka!" General Ironbeak shrieked. He descended from above and took yanked Goldheart away from Bijou with his beak. He then spat it out and it fell downward. Bijou took two steps back as General Ironbeak hovered in the air above her.

"Now, weirdbeast, you will suffer."

"Ahhh!" Bijou screamed.

……….

"Come and get me," the squirrel said.

"No," Hamtaro said. Before he had a chance to react, he heard several crows flying toward him from the direction of the nest. He struck the first one with his sword, but the others were flying too fast. He was able to duck to avoid the second and third crow. While doing so he saw a frightening scene. Just ahead of him, he saw General Ironbeak snatch Bijou's lance away with his beak and spit it away. Bijou was defenseless.

"No, I will not let Bijou get hurt!" Hamtaro thought to himself. I don't care what happens to me, as long as she's okay." Hamtaro gripped his sword hilt tighter. As the fourth crow flew low along the branch toward him, Hamtaro jumped and ran along its back as it flew. He jumped with all his might flying clear over to where General Ironbeak hovered.

"Get away from Bijou!" he yelled. General Ironbeak glanced toward the voice to see Hamtaro wielding Awakening. Hamtaro swung Awakening forcefully, batting General Ironbeak's beak away before slamming into him. The momentum carried them over the branch. Both of them plummeted to the ground, exchanging blows as they fell. Hamtaro whirled Awakening, and General Ironbeak pecked at him and scratched him with his talons.

"Hamtaro!" a faint voice called. "Hamtaro!" the voice now said in a whisper. Hamtaro began to lose blood from the cuts that he received, but he ignored the pain. All he could think of was what would've happened if General Ironbeak had his way with Bijou. This made him fight more fiercely. They fought as they fell a full fifty feet before landing in the middle of the lake with a humungous splash.

……….

Whoosh, wirrrr, kack!

Cloud's Ultima Weapon whirred through the air with deadly sound effects. Anytime a crow drew near, his Cloud's blade was there to keep them at bay.

"This battle is getting me nowhere," Cloud thought as he fought. "I need to turn the tide of this skirmish. But how?"

Cloud swung the Ultima Weapon in a powerful slash and cross-slash, disabling the use of one crow's wing, cutting the throat of another crow, and cutting open one crow's breast to the bone. Cloud then rotated the hilt of his sword 180o and thrust into the trunk of the spruce tree. Holding on to the hilt firmly, Cloud used his downward momentum to swing himself down then upward again. He landed perfectly upon the blunt side of his blade, executing perfect balance with his foot paws. Once situated, he stood up and quickly took in the things going around him. Above, seven remaining crows advanced on him. They seemed to wise up on their methods; instead of attacking in twos or threes, the last seven decided to use a joint-attack.

"This won't be easy," Cloud said to himself. Just then, he noticed a falling blur in the corner of his eye. Turning to look, he briefly noticed a falling lance.

Whirrr!

It fell past Cloud and went to the ground below. Then he heard a still, small voice in distress.

"Hamtaro!" it yelled.

Looking in the direction of the voice, he saw two creatures falling. It was the hamster he helped earlier and General Ironbeak. They were both locked in combat. The hamster fought fiercely, swinging with its sword, biting and scratching. General Ironbeak was a veteran at fighting, and mid-air melees were his specialty. He seemed to have the upper hand.

"Why did that hamster do that?" Cloud wondered. "There is no way that he'll survive that fall, and he doesn't know his way around trees." Cloud looked below and saw their landing point, the lake … the lake with a pike.

"Oh, no!" Cloud exclaimed. "Falling into that lake is suicide!"

"Caw, caw!" the crows squawked. They were almost upon Cloud.

Leaning on the back end of his Ultima Weapon, he reached down and pulled up the hilt of a smaller sword. Gently, he extracted it from the Ultima Weapon. He put it in his left hand and hung on to the Ultima Weapon with his right. Cloud hopped over the edge of the Ultima Weapon and plunged the smaller blade into the tree trunk parallel to the Ultima Weapon. Holding on to both blades, he hung from them and watched the crows until the opportune moment. Then, he inverted himself (he started a back flip while holding onto both blades, but stopped once he was upside down) and yanked both blades out of the tree trunk, continuing his fall. When the crows commenced their attack, Cloud was ready. His blades whipped through the air with deadly accuracy. Cloud swung both blades in a full circle, mortally wounding 4 crows. Three were clever enough to back out when he swung them. Once clear, they dove in again. Cloud blocked one peck thrust with one of his blades while soundly smacking one crow in the head with the blunt side of his other blade. One of the remaining two crows attempted to grab Cloud with its talons. Cloud countered by sticking his sword above his head. The crow's talons closed over the sharp part of Cloud's blade, and Cloud pulled his sword quickly through them. The crow shrieked in pain and left Cloud alone afterward. The final crow flew away and dove in for one final attack. Cloud maneuvered to the side of the crow as it flew by and thrust his smaller blade straight into the crow's heart. It uttered a muffled squawk then stopped moving.

After pulling his sword out of the crow's body, Cloud found a lower bough of the tree and, after flipping, lightly landed on it. Glancing in the lake's direction, he quickly jumped to the ground.

"I've got no time to lose," Cloud said to himself. "If, somehow, that hamster survived that fall, he'll need help."

Cloud speedily wiped the bloodstains off of both blades and hurried to the lake's edge.

……….

A tremendous splash interrupted the calm of the waters. Skipper instantly recognized the body of General Ironbeak. His body was covered in gashes, cuts, and bruises. A second creature landed in the lake with him, a strange creature: one that Skipper did not recognize. It looked like an oversized mouse with a small tail. Its body was in even worse condition than General Ironbeak's. Skipper found it a miracle that it still lived; he could tell that it was alive because it attempted to swim to the surface for air, but it was too weak. General Ironbeak was only somewhat more successful. Still, the odd creature used the last of its strength to hold on to a magnificent sword. Suddenly, Skipper felt a slight tremor of water around him. Something had moved.

"Oh no!" Skipper thought. He looked for the sleeping pike. It wasn't in its original position. It had disappeared.

"I've got to get that weird creature out of here. It must be another one of General Ironbeak's victims."

Arching his body, Skipper launched himself through the water like a torpedo. He aimed himself straight for Hamtaro. Both Hamtaro and General Ironbeak had stopped moving and slowly sank. Just as Skipper reached Hamtaro's body, he found himself staring into the wide, open mouth of the pike. It made itself nearly invisible as it swam in the lower depths of the lake. Upon rising, it became more visible. Now it closed in fast on Skipper and the two hapless victims from the opposite direction. Grabbing Hamtaro in his arms, Skipper altered his direction and sped upward. General Ironbeak was a goner; it was a fate that he deserved.

Skipper slowed his pace. General Ironbeak was a big bird; the pike would surely be satisfied. Skipper focused his attention on Hamtaro. He studied his face. Even though his fur was stained with blood, you could see its rich color. Both of his ears were orange. A curved imaginary line ran from the tip of his right ear, went through his left eye, and ended at the side of his head. This line separated Hamtaro's orange fur from his white fur. The orange fur was above the line, and the rest of his fur was white.

"What kind of a creature is this?" Skipper pondered. "It's even more peculiar up close." Skipper felt more stirs in the water surrounding him.

"Oh, not again," Skipper moaned. He looked behind himself to see the pike chasing him to the surface. Skipper built up speed, but the pike was faster. Before long, Skipper was swimming as fast as he could, but the pike continued to close the distance between them. Skipper eventually broke the surface of the lake and turned over on his back in mid-air. Doing so caused him to slide backwards once he hit solid ground on grass and protect the weakened Hamtaro at the same time. It still wasn't enough to discourage the hungry pike. It also broke the surface of the water and sailed through the air toward Skipper and Hamtaro.

"This is it," Skipper said, holding the unconscious Hamtaro even tighter. "I guess I really got myself into a pickle this time." Holding Hamtaro prevented him from taking any evasive action or engaging the pike. Any sudden movements would worsen Hamtaro's severe injuries. The pike opened its mouth wide in anticipation as it neared the two. It never got the chance to eat them. Just before landing, a black figure whizzed by.

"Schrrrt!"

That was the only sound that Skipper heard before the pike's mouth closed in around him and Hamtaro. Skipper shut his eyes and waited for the pike's jaws to shut together, crushing them to bits. It never happened.

"Strange," Skipper said, opening his eyes. "We should be in its belly by now. Whoa! What's that smell? It stinks!" The putrid smell of the fish's breath was too much for him to handle.

"We've got to get out of here, or I'll die from the fish's bad breath problem."

Laying Hamtaro on the ground, Skipper pushed against the roof of the pike's mouth to widen it a bit more. It didn't budge.

"Well, if we can't get out that way," he reasoned, "…who am I kidding? There is no way out." Skipper hung his head in despair. "I should have never left the Abbey."

Suddenly, he heard knocking outside of the fish.

"Is anyone in there?" a voice asked.

"Aye, we're here! Can ye help us out of this mess?" Skipper replied.

"Yes, I will. Get down on the ground."

Skipper followed the voice's instructions, and not a second too late. Shortly after ducking to the ground, a blade swiftly cut the pike's body just above his head. It cut in a slanted direction like a hot knife through butter. This caused the pike's body below his head to slide off and fall to one side.

"Free at last!" Skipper said, getting up. He picked up Hamtaro in his arms and stepped outside of the pike's detached head.

"Thanks for freeing us, mate."

"No problem," Cloud said, sheathing his sword behind his back.

"Hey, don't I know you from somewhere?" Skipper asked, setting Hamtaro gently on the soft grass. "I could swear that I've seen you around before."

Cloud crossed his arms and looked away from Skipper's face, remembering perfectly the time that he'd seen him. He could picture himself in his mind…

Flashback

The tattered red cloak, his sword wrapped in strips of white leather to prevent it from falling apart, the black wing…they were all testaments to the darkness inside of him. He was consumed by it. Destruction was always in his wake. Everywhere, he caused irreparable damage to innocent and guilty creatures alike. He cared for no one and nothing. One day, however, he found himself at Redwall Abbey. This place was different. This place had an innocence about it that hindered him from having anything to do with it. Still, he went forward. He went into the Abbey with the intent of razing it to the ground; he came out a totally different squirrel.

Initially, the champion of Redwall Abbey, a mouse named Matthias, came out with an impressive looking sword. Once Cloud stated his purpose for visiting, Matthias stood to defend it. The battle was a tough one. He never expected such a small mouse with a small sword to stand a chance. Matthias fought as if some other creature, a seasoned warrior, guided his every sword stroke. Cloud then called upon power of darkness to help him. This swayed the battle into his favor. Once he commenced his Omnistrike, Matthias ceased to be a threat. He was completely unprepared for an aerial assault. The residents of Redwall Abbey were then left defenseless. The Abbey was his to destroy. He decided to start in a small room, just beyond the courtyard. It was then that his eyes came upon the portrait of Martin the Warrior.

Immediately, his surroundings disappeared. Suddenly, Martin the Warrior was alive. He walked toward Cloud with assurance. Cloud could tell that this mouse was every inch a warrior. For the first time in his life since his steep in darkness, he remembered fear.

"Why have you done this?" Martin asked him.

"What?" Cloud replied.

"Why have you stormed into my Abbey with the intent of destroying it? What have my people ever done to you that they should deserve such a terrible fate?"

Cloud stood there dumbfounded. He didn't have an answer. What was his reason? Why had he gone on this rampage in the first place?

"You have come into my abbey and injured a peaceful inhabitant here. He defended it until he was unable to any longer. Know that you will be punished for your actions."

"What are you going to do to me?"

"I'm not going to do anything. You have brought your punishment upon yourself. The powers of darkness come at a price. Evil is not welcome here in this Abbey. It is an Abbey of peace, love, and tranquility. Unless you change your ways, you are never to return here again. If you do, you will be sorry!"

Martin then disappeared, and Cloud's surroundings brought him back to the small room. Instantly, he felt a gnawing pain in his left arm. It felt as if his arm began to melt, and he lost all feeling in his arms.

"No!" Cloud said through gritted teeth.

It was then that he recalled the words of his father.

"Never get involved with darkness, son. Once you do, there will be no escaping it. Your bloodline is a unique one, one that has its perks and its downsides. You are an excellent fighter when it comes to swordsmanship, just like your brother Kadaj. However, you also have the potential to develop a deadly virus called Geostigma. It is untreatable. It is an alien virus that attacks your body. Your body will make antibodies to get rid of it, but they will overcompensate. This will cause your immune system to completely exhaust itself, leaving you to die a slow and painful death."

The Sephiroth gene. He had indeed contracted it as he immersed himself in darkness. Before long, Cloud passed out from exhaustion. He woke up the following day on a bed in the sickbay of the Abbey. Beside him, on another bed, lay Matthias. Matthias's condition was critical. Massive gashes and cuts covered his body. Blood matted his her from head to foot paw. He was barely able to hang on to life. Matthias's breathing was shallow.

"You're awake!" a voice said. Turning his head, Cloud saw a pretty, young mousemaid looking at him.

"How do you feel?" Cornflower asked. "My name is Cornflower."

Cloud continued to look at her before turning his gaze to the ceiling.

"It's hard to say," he replied. "I'm not myself anymore. I don't know who I am."

Cornflower got up and walked closer to Cloud's bed.

"What do you mean?" she asked.

Cloud sighed.

"Forget it. I've been nothing but trouble to you and all of the people that live here."

Cloud rose himself from the bed.

"I should go."

"No, wait! You're sick. You have some sort of disease that none of our healers here know of. We were only able to stabilize your body's condition. The problems mainly came from your left arm."

"Yes, I know." Cloud looked at the sleeve covering his left arm. "I'm affected with a disease called Geostigma. It's a symptom of alien matter infesting the body. The body tries to eliminate it and overcompensates. Inside the bodies of all living creatures is a current. That current is what tries to fight off any malevolent intruders, ones like the stigma."

Cornflower could only stare at Cloud in wonder. He glanced at her.

"Don't ask me how I know, or how I got it. It would only confuse you more."

Cloud looked at Matthias once more before turning to go. He couldn't believe the damage that he had caused him. He never meant to hurt anyone, or did he? What drove him to this?

"Cornflower, why did you heal me?"

"We here at Redwall always help those in need, even if they are our enemies. Peace and love are the only solution to problems in this world. We hope to serve as a beacon to any that are lost or confused."

Cloud thought about this briefly while staring at the floor, then walked out of the infirmary.

"Wait, where are you going?"

"I'll be right back," Cloud answered.

Cloud walked outside to find his sword leaning on the wall outside of the infirmary. He walked up to it and stuck it back behind his back in its sheath, where it belonged. Strangely, it felt different. He didn't feel the power that he felt before in holding it. It felt as if his dark powers were no longer there. Then, he noticed an otter glaring at him. He was massive for an otter. His large muscles were no doubt a result of his swimming. He must have been a powerful swimmer. He also had a javelin with him. Cloud tightened his grip on his sword's hilt.

"You've got some nerve, you evil squirrel," he yelled at him, "coming in here and nearly killing our Abbey champion. For all we know, he might not make it! And it's all because of you!"

Cloud could only allow the furious otter's words to sink in. He was right.

"Well, what've ye got to say for yerself?"

Cloud let go of his sword and stared at the ground. Slowly, he looked back up into the angry otter's eyes. Skipper's anger slightly lessened. Cloud's gaze told of agony, and of remorse.

"I'm sorry," Cloud said softly. Then, he turned and climbed the wall before Skipper could say anything else.

After reaching the wall top, he jumped to the nearest tree branch and ran through the trees, in true squirrel fashion. He hopped from branch to branch, until he finally reached a familiar elm tree that he used as a makeshift home whenever he was in this part of Mossflower Woods. Lightly, pulled a part of the elm's bark, revealing a hidden passage way. Inside, he found his little black bag untouched. Cloud reached into the bag, and pulled out a vial of a dark purple liquid. It was his last vial of the precious fluid. Quickly, he stuffed it in-between his sword's sheath and his back and rushed outside.

Replacing the bark, he hurried back to the Abbey. In no time at all, he found himself back at Redwall Abbey's wall tops. Outside of the infirmary, he saw numerous creatures gathered: otters, moles, mice, hedgehogs, voles, and even a badger. Little ones stood in the middle of the group. All of them seemed to be sad. Cloud slowly jumped down to the wall tops and lowered himself along the wall's side.

"Is he going to make it, Father Abbot?" an anxious otter asked. "Is Matthias going to be okay?"

"I am afraid not, my dear friend," Abbot Mordalfus answered. "He has had a full day to recover, and his condition has only gotten worse. All that we can do is…"

The Abbot Mordalfus stopped speaking as Cloud walked toward him. A gasp arose from the group of Redwallers.

"May I see him?" Cloud asked the Abbot solemnly.

"No, you can't see him!" yelled Skipper from among the crowd. "You're the one who did this in the first place! We should have you…"

"Skipper," Abbot said, cutting him off, "enough! You know well enough that two wrongs never make a right. Denying this squirrel the right to see our Matthias is unjust. No matter what he has done, he is to be treated like an inhabitant of Redwall Abbey."

Abbot Mordalfus turned to Cloud.

"Of course, you may see him."

Cloud opened the door and walked into the infirmary. Matthias was still in a horrible state. Cornflower hovered over Matthias, and so did his son, Mattimeo. Both of them turned to see Cloud walk to the door. Mattimeo instantly grabbed a nearby wooden stave. His eyes were stained with tears.

"You monster!" he yelled, between stifled sobs. "You killed my father!"

"Mattimeo!" Cornflower said. "You know as well as I do that revenge and hatred will never bring Matthias back."

"It's okay," Cloud said, walking toward the two. "It's okay for him to be angry. He has a right to be."

Cloud approached Matthias slowly.

"He loves his father. Matthias must mean a lot to him, and to you."

Cloud pulled out his vial from behind his back and pulled out the cork. Carefully, he poured all of it into Matthias's opened mouth. Matthias slowly closed his eyes, and his breathing slowed dramatically.

"No!" Mattimeo yelled. "No!!!!"

"Wait!" Cloud demanded.

Matthias reopened his eyes and breathed normally again. His cuts and gashes magically healed themselves, and his body looked better than it did even before he battled with Cloud.

Matthias lifted his head and looked at his wife and son. Tears welled up in his eyes.

"Oh, Cornflower. Mattimeo," he murmured.

Cornflower and Mattimeo rushed to him and embraced him tightly. Cloud smiled and began to walk away.

"Cloud, wait," Cornflower said. Cloud stopped and turned around.

"Matthias, this is Cloud," she said, introducing the two.

Matthias walked over to Cloud and shook hands with him. "You have quite the skill with a blade," he said. "I've never seen anyone use a sword like you have.

Cloud looked away from Matthias's face. "You don't want to know where I got the power from," he replied.

"What made you come here?" Matthias questioned.

"I don't know. I've been to several places before, but none like this. I was drawn to it."

"Well, you can always come back to visit. Maybe you could teach me a few things."

"No, I can't. Martin told me strictly never to return until I've changed."

Matthias's eyes widened. "Martin the Warrior spoke to you?"

"Yes."

"Hmm … I recommend that you do what he says. Martin's advice is to be followed at all costs. Your life and the lives of other may depend on it."

Cloud turned once more to leave the infirmary.

"Cloud," Matthias called, "thanks for healing me."

"It's the least I could do," Cloud said over his shoulder. He walked outside and addressed the mass of Redwallers gathered there.

"I'm sorry for all of the trouble that I've caused you all, but sorry will never be enough to undo what I've done. I will now leave your Abbey and let you return to your normal lives."

Cloud ran to a nearby wall and started climbing up to the ramparts.

"Good riddance!" yelled Skipper.

The door to the infirmary opened wide, and out stepped Matthias along with Cornflower and Mattimeo. The crowd was in awe. Instantly they all started asking questions.

"Matthias, you're all right?"

"How did you get better?"

"What happened?"

Matthias held up his hand for silence. "Cloud healed me," replied. "Their is much more to him than meets the eye."

Skipper pondered this and regretted his mean words. "I wonder if I'll e'er get to see 'im again," he wondered to himself.

End of Cloud's Flashback

Skipper looked at Cloud closely then his eyes grew huge. "Well, strap me rudder!" he exclaimed. "It's Cloud!"

Cloud didn't move.

"I never thought I'd see the likes of ye again!" Skipper continued. "I never got to thank ye for healing our Abbey champion." Skipper looked away in embarrassment. "And, I never got to apologize for being so rude to ye. I never meant any 'arm. I was just angry to see Matthias in such a bad state. That's all."

Cloud considered the otter's statements briefly before turning to face him. "We could discuss this later," he said. "Right now, I think that this guy needs our help."

"Right," Skipper said, snapping back to attention. "We could catch up on the past later." Skipper and Cloud examined Hamtaro's wounds.

"Hamtaro!" a voice yelled. Skipper and Cloud looked up to see Bijou running up to them with her lance in hand.

"Hamtaro!" Bijou dropped Goldheart to the ground and knelt down beside Hamtaro. "Tell me he's going to be okay."

Skipper held a hand to his neck, then to his wrist. "He's still breathing," he told them, "but his pulse is weak."

"That means that we have to revitalize him quick," Cloud said, "or he won't make it."

Bijou gasped. "No, he has to make it. If he doesn't…" Bijou couldn't finish the sentence. "He means so much to me, and I didn't even get the chance to tell him." She broke down crying.

"I could dress up his wounds as best I can, but I'm not known for healing," Skipper declared. "The best healers and materials are back at the Abbey. In the state he's in, neither would be any good for him. He's already lost too much blood, and transporting him to the Abbey would kill him."

Cloud reached behind his back in-between his back and his sword holder, pulling out a small vial of elixir. Ever since Matthias's incident, he always had one ready, just in case.

"Stand back," Cloud called. Pulling off the cork, he opened Hamtaro's mouth and poured the vial's contents carefully down Hamtaro's throat, just as he did with Matthias long ago.

Hamtaro's breathing slowed considerably, and for a moment, he seemed to cease living. Then, he took a deep breath. His cuts and bruises healed themselves, and his strength returned. His right paw firmly grasped Awakening's hilt. His eyes opened slowly.

"Where, where am I?" Hamtaro asked. "What just happened?"

Bijou stopped her crying and gazed into Hamtaro's eyes. "Oh, Hamtaro!" she exclaimed before embracing him warmly in a tight hug.

"Har har harr," Skipper laughed. "A swell ending for the two young 'uns. I say that we all deserve a visit to Redwell, eh, Cloud? Cloud?" Skipper looked to both sides of him to see Cloud nowhere in sight. Turning around, he sighted Cloud walking away. "Ahoy there, Cloud," he hailed. "Where're ye off to?"

"Nowhere," Cloud answered over his shoulder.

"Why don't ye join us? We'd be glad to have ye, and I'm sure that you might even be able to help out with the food or something once we get there."

"I'm not fit to help anyone. Not family, not my friends…nobody."

"Cloud look at us." Skipper stood next to Hamtaro and Bijou. "If it weren't for you, the three of us wouldn't be alive. If that ain't help, then I don't know what is."

Cloud stopped walking and turned around just enough to see the three. Hamtaro and Bijou were now standing up, and they both smiled at him. Bijou broke away from the trio and rushed right up to Cloud.

"Cloud, I would like to thank you for saving Hamtaro. You don't know how much he means to me. I am grateful for what you've done, and if there is any way that I could ever repay you, I would gladly do it."

Hamtaro walked up just as Bijou finished her last sentence.

"That goes for me too," Hamtaro added. "Whatever you need, just name it."

Cloud thought carefully about what they said. "Well," he said hesitantly. "I think that … I want to be forgiven, more than anything. But you all couldn't offer me that."

"Cloud," Hamtaro spoke up, "I don't know what it is that you've done, but I know what you did for us just now. I can see that you have a good heart that's filled with light. You might not think that you have it, or be able to see it yourself, but it's there. I might not have that much to offer you, but I do have friendship. I'd be willing to be your friend no matter what." Hamtaro smiled and offered his paw to Cloud.

"That goes for the rest of us too," Skipper added.

"Definitely," Bijou said.

Cloud considered the three. They were the only three that had ever offered to help him in any way. Ever since his "Days of Darkness" as he referred to them, everyone else that he'd met had cowered before him in fear. Either that or opposed him in battle. They reminded him of one friend that stuck closer to him than his own brother: Tifa. But she was long gone. There was no way that she could have survived the desolation that sea rats caused his village long ago. He was lonely. He had longed for friends for such a long time now. Why not? Maybe they could help him to find his light. Perhaps they were the key?

Cloud extended his paw to Hamtaro's and shook it firmly.

"All right!" Hamtaro exclaimed. "I guess that makes us friends!"

"Friends," Bijou echoed, sticking one of her paws on top of Cloud's and Hamtaro's.

Skipper plopped one of his huge paws on top of the trio's. "Then we're all one big team!" he uttered. "That's great. Now, what do you say we all pay Redwall Abbey a visit? I'm starved."

"Yeah," Hamtaro said. "That sounds like fun."

"I think that zat would be a great idea," Bijou agreed. "What do you zay, Cloud?"

Cloud nodded his head in agreement. "Sounds good," he answered.

"Then follow me," Skipper said, taking the lead. Hamtaro sheathed Awakening, and Bijou put Goldheart in its holder behind her back. Both followed Skipper. Cloud remained where he was for a moment. He still wondered what it would be like to have friends again. Could they really help him? Would he ever be free of the darkness inside of him?"

"Hey, Cloud," Hamtaro called, "you coming?"

Cloud shook the thoughts from his mind. "I guess I'll find out the answers along the way," he thought to himself. "Yeah, I'm coming," he answered Hamtaro. Cloud ran to catch up to the trio and together, the four made their way to Redwall Abbey.

………………………………………………………………………………………………………

For those of you who read this entire chapter, THANK YOU! Thanks for sticking with it to the end. If you could review, I would greatly appreciate. Any thoughts, concerns, or anything else (except flames) would be great. Still, if you can't review, I'm grateful for you reading my story. Thanks again. Avelblue, if you read this chapter, do you think that you could review it please. It's this author's last request on this story.


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